NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In a heartbreaking tale that seems straight out of a gripping family drama, Hubert Neumann, a 92-year-old billionaire art collector has found himself embroiled in a web of lawsuits, arrest, and familial discord over his billion-dollar art collection.
The saga unfolded in the heart of New York City, where Neumann's Upper West Side townhouse became the center of contention between him, his daughter, Belinda, and her husband Jeffrey Donnelly.
How did the dispute over Dolores Neumann's will begin?
The dispute began when Belinda and Jeffrey Donnelly launched a campaign against her father, alleging that he opposed her claim to 80 percent of her late mother Dolores Neumann's estate.
Neumann's late wife, Dolores, had reportedly left a will before her passing in 2016, designating the majority of her estate to Belinda while disinheriting her husband.
Neumann contended that the will was invalid, asserting that it was executed while his wife was undergoing serious medical treatment.
The crux of the issue lay in the perceived unfairness of the will. Neumann sought to divide his late wife's estate equally among their three daughters: Belinda, Melissa, and Debra. This disagreement escalated, leading Neumann to initiate eviction proceedings against the Donnellys in May 2018, according to The Sun.
Adding to the complexity of the situation was the valuable art collection housed in Neumann's townhouse. Belinda's desire to take possession of the collection and potentially sell it clashed with her father's wish to keep the artwork as a family heirloom. This divergence in their intentions deepened the family rift.
Why was Hubert Neumann arrested?
In a surprising turn of events, Neumann's son-in-law, Jeffrey Donnelly, contacted the police just days before Christmas in 2018, alleging an altercation at Neumann's townhouse. This incident resulted in Neumann's arrest and eviction from his own home.
Surveillance footage captured the elderly art collector being handcuffed and escorted out by police officers while Donnelly looked on.
Neumann spent a night in a police cell, while his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren continued to reside rent-free in his townhouse, along with his valuable art collection.
The legal battle continued, with Neumann's legal team appearing in family court only to find that Donnelly's lawyers had withdrawn their claims. The District Attorney's office declined to prosecute the case, leaving Neumann without the opportunity to clear his name.
The protracted legal dispute has continued to unfold in recent years, leaving the future of the art collection and the family's relationships hanging in the balance.
Hubert Neumann was inspired by his late father Morton
Hubert Neumann's connection to the art world dates back to the early 1950s when he arrived in New York City. Captivated by the vibrant art scene, he, along with his late father Morton, became a prolific art collector.
Their collection grew to include works by renowned artists such as Picasso, Matisse, and Warhol and even played a role in the discovery of celebrated abstract artists like Jean Michel Basquiat.
Dolores Neumann befriended Basquiat during his brief career, which ended tragically with his death in 1988.
Hubert's father, Morton, amassed an art collection valued at over a billion dollars, which is now owned by two family trusts, both overseen by Hubert Neumann.
The collection includes masterpieces by some of the most renowned artists globally, making it a sought-after treasure for wealthy collectors and museums worldwide.
Neumann's enduring wish is to keep his art collection intact and see it passed down to his daughters, but the bitter family dispute has cast a shadow over this aspiration.
As the legal battles continue, Belinda and Jeffrey Donnelly seek to challenge Neumann's control over her mother's will, arguing that years of alleged abuse make him unfit to fulfill his duties as trustee.
Neumann's attorneys, however, insist that these allegations be examined in court, confident in their ability to prove them false.
"The Donnellys had gotten all the mileage out of the fictitious claims. They got Hubert restricted in his own house for months in the absence of a hearing," the Neumann's attorney Jay Itkowitz stated.
"So after months of the false claims being out there, they simply dropped the claims as they no longer had any utility and in my opinion, would have been dismissed anyway. So to avoid the embarrassment of a loss in family court, they simply withdrew the claims," he added.
The future remains uncertain for this family, torn apart by legal disputes and a priceless art collection hanging in the balance.
Melissa Neumann hopes for reconciliation with father Hubert
Melissa Neumann, Hubert's youngest daughter, reflected on the personal toll this has taken on the family, expressing her hope for reconciliation.
"In my capacity as a trustee I want to be objective as I can, on a personal level I think it's going to be very hard to repair a family like this," she told the New York Post earlier this year.
"This all didn't have to happen this way, the reading of my mother's will definitely changed my life trajectory and my sister's trajectory. She is my older sister and had always been somebody I looked up to and we helped each other, the personal part is what I think hurts the most for me," Melissa added.
Despite the turmoil, Hubert Neumann's love for his daughters remains evident, as he hopes for a resolution that can restore peace and love within their fractured family.
"I love Belinda and my two daughters equally, as I always have," he told The Sun. "I hope and pray we can put this family dispute behind us and restore peace and love within our family."
