Night nurse of reclusive late heiress Huguette Clark sues for slice of $300 MILLION estate after day nurse got $31 million
- Carer Geraldine Coffey looked after copper heiress for 20 years until 2011
- She received $1million in gifts over her lifetime but nothing in Clark's will
- Clark's day nurse Hadassah Peri received $31million in gifts from Clark
- Lawyers for Clark's estate suing Mrs Coffey to return money she received
- But Mrs Coffey denies pressuring her elderly boss to give cash handouts
- Complex legal wrangling will be continued in court in New York this week
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A nurse who cared for a reclusive heiress for 20 years before she died leaving $300million is suing her estate for a slice of her fortune.
Geraldine Coffey earned $130,000 a year looking after copper heiress Huguette Clark and received £1million in gifts from her over her lifetime.
But the night nurse, who says Clark promised to 'provide for her', is now reportedly suing her late boss's estate after receiving nothing in Clark's will.
Fortune: Huguette Clark left $300million, which is now being fought over by her former night nurse
Mrs Coffey, who looked after the reclusive Clark until she died aged 104 in 2011, says she was left out of wranglings last autumn over two wills written by the wealthy woman in 2005 when she was 99.
Her legacy left millions to former members of staff and philanthropic organisations, rather than her distant family members, many of whom she had never met, but who are battling for a share of the cash.
Clark's former employees say they were given gifts by their employer, and last September a deal was agreed between many of them and the heiress' estate and relatives.
In the deal, Clark's lawyer, Wallace Bock, and accountant, Irving Kamsler, were cut out of $1million gifts in exchange for a promise that they would not be involved in any future litigation.
But Irish immigrant Mrs Coffey says she was left out of negotiations and thus received nothing.
Meanwhile lawyers for the estate are accusing night nurse Mrs Coffey of causing Clark 'anxiety and distress' by nagging her to give her a $7.5million apartment, it was reported, and of putting her own needs before her elderly patient's.
Life of luxury: Mrs Clark lived in a 42-room apartment in this smart block in Manhattan
John Morken, attorney for Clark's relatives and for the heiress' estate, said Ms Coffey put pressure on Clark to give her money, the New York Post reported.
In court papers he alleges: 'While purportedly caring for Clark, Geraldine repeatedly pressured her patient to make "gifts" to and for the benefit of her family.'
Morken added: 'At the time Mrs Clark was reported in nurse's notes to be "confused during the night" and "delusional".
But Ms Coffey, who is being sued to return gifts said to include $385,000 to buy real estate in New York and $85,000 for school fees for her children, is reportedly refusing to sign off the deal.
Wealthy family: Huguette Clark, right, with her father, William, and older sister, Andree, pictured in 1917
She denies the allegations, claiming that Bock and Kamsler were heavily involved in the allegations that she pressured Clark to hand over some of her fortune.
Coffey worked 12-hour days for Mrs Clark, the childless daughter of senator and industrialist William A Clark, who made a fortune in mining and railroads.
Mrs Clark lived alone in a 42-room Manhattan apartment with only her extensive collection of dolls and a nurse for company.
She was said to only leave her apartment to attend Christian Dior fashion shows in order to find new dresses for her dolls.
The case will be heard in court in New York this week.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534537/Night-nurse-reclusive-late-heiress-Huguette-Clark-sues-slice-300-MILLION-estate-day-nurse-got-31-million.html#ixzz2puGdbyXu
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