Upstate man, claiming to be sole heir to Staten Island developer's $40M fortune, files will in court
Roman Blum, 97, died last year. He supposedly left no written will. But such a document was submitted Wednesday to the Surrogate Court of Richmond County by its named beneficiary, Anthony J. Allegrino II, of New Windsor, N.Y. (Family photo)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An upstate New York man, who claimed he's the sole heir to Staten Island developer Roman Blum's $40-million fortune, took his case one step further on Wednesday when his attorney submitted the will for legal review in the Surrogate Court of Richmond County -- something Blum's longtime friend and lawyer said surprised him.
"I don't even know how to react. Things should get very interesting," said Robert Fishler, who previously dismissed the notion that Blum would have drafted a will without his knowledge. "I represented Roman Blum for almost 30 years. If he was going to do a will, I would have known about it," Fishler told the Advance.
When Blum died last year at the age of 97, he supposedly left no written will, leaving behind the largest unclaimed estate in New York history, according to the state comptroller's office.
The Staten Island Public Administrator's office conducted an exhaustive search for an heir that employed genealogists from all over the world, but to date have found no relation.
The submitted will's named beneficiary, Anthony J. Allegrino II, of New Windsor, N.Y., an attorney who has reportedly been disbarred in at least one state, appeared in the St. George courtroom yesterday with his lawyer, Martin A. Cohen of Newburgh.
Both refused to comment as they exited the courthouse.
Allegrino's attorney submitted the will for probate on Wednesday, which will begin the court's legal process of proving its validity -- though the initial hearing was pushed back to Oct. 8 to allow additional time for the state attorney general to be present.
"The state of New York is the one that would wind up with the money because there are no heirs, so the state, through the attorney general, is an interested party," explained Richard LaRosa, counsel to the public administrator. "If the will is legitimate and Allegrino is in fact the sole beneficiary, then the money goes to him."
Once a will is submitted for probate, it comes under intense scruntity and carries the weight of the law with it.
"When you file a will for probate, you have to make certain sworn statements," said LaRosa, noting that falsifying a will after probate is considered a felony.
But as the investigation rolls on, all Blum's friend and attorney could do is wait and see.
"I don't know what's going to happen, but it's going to be fascinating to watch," said Fishler.
"I don't even know how to react. Things should get very interesting," said Robert Fishler, who previously dismissed the notion that Blum would have drafted a will without his knowledge. "I represented Roman Blum for almost 30 years. If he was going to do a will, I would have known about it," Fishler told the Advance.
When Blum died last year at the age of 97, he supposedly left no written will, leaving behind the largest unclaimed estate in New York history, according to the state comptroller's office.
The Staten Island Public Administrator's office conducted an exhaustive search for an heir that employed genealogists from all over the world, but to date have found no relation.
The submitted will's named beneficiary, Anthony J. Allegrino II, of New Windsor, N.Y., an attorney who has reportedly been disbarred in at least one state, appeared in the St. George courtroom yesterday with his lawyer, Martin A. Cohen of Newburgh.
Both refused to comment as they exited the courthouse.
Allegrino's attorney submitted the will for probate on Wednesday, which will begin the court's legal process of proving its validity -- though the initial hearing was pushed back to Oct. 8 to allow additional time for the state attorney general to be present.
"The state of New York is the one that would wind up with the money because there are no heirs, so the state, through the attorney general, is an interested party," explained Richard LaRosa, counsel to the public administrator. "If the will is legitimate and Allegrino is in fact the sole beneficiary, then the money goes to him."
Once a will is submitted for probate, it comes under intense scruntity and carries the weight of the law with it.
"When you file a will for probate, you have to make certain sworn statements," said LaRosa, noting that falsifying a will after probate is considered a felony.
But as the investigation rolls on, all Blum's friend and attorney could do is wait and see.
"I don't know what's going to happen, but it's going to be fascinating to watch," said Fishler.
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