Nicholas Zoullas left every part to his second spouse Susan Bates.
Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons/Fb
It’s a giant fats Greek transport household drama.
Artwork-amassing Greek transport magnate Nicholas Zoullas disinherited two of his sons — considered one of whom has accused him of stealing a $4 million Monet, court docket data present.
Zoullas, 84 — a globe-trotting man-about-town of the Higher East Aspect and Southampton, who was price untold thousands and thousands and bounced between New York and Switzerland — died Christmas week 2021, in accordance with an obituary. He left behind 5 youngsters from two marriages.
Zoullas ran his household transport enterprise, Norland Transport & Buying and selling Corp., and served on numerous committees and boards at Harvard, he and his sons’ alma mater, and the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork.
He left every part to his second spouse, Susan Bates, in accordance with his will filed in March in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court docket. The need doesn't present for his first spouse, Marianna Zoullas.
“After cautious consideration and deliberation, I've determined to provide nothing to my sons, ALEXIS ZOULLAS and SOPHOCLES ZOULLAS,” in accordance with Zoullas’ will, signed in 2018. The pair had been Zoullas’ sons from his first marriage. He has three kids with Bates — beneath the need they’re to be supplied for by her.
The 2 sides of the household revealed duelingobituaries in January — with one leaving out all point out of Bates and her kids with Zoullas.
However Zoullas — whose wealth included actual property, artwork, non-public corporations, and securities –and Sophocles fell out within the early 2000s, when the son left Norland, later hanging out on his personal, Sophocles stated in a 2017 deposition. Nicholas was “upset” after Sophocles left, Alexis stated in a 2017 affidavit.
The brothers — who later based Eagle Bulk Transport Inc., now an $800 million agency — had a “fractured” or “troublesome” relationship with their father, in accordance with court docket papers.
They approached him at Alexis’ 2007 marriage ceremony with considerations about their artwork, which was then in a household storage facility in Switzerland. He replied that “he felt it was not essential to take any motion since we had been household and he assured me that there wouldn't be any disputes which might jeopardize our paintings,” in accordance with court docket papers.
However Zoullas allegedly transferred the Monet to Naxos Artwork Inc., a cash-strapped British Virgin Islands firm of his for $900,000. Naxos quickly flipped it by means of Christie’s for $3.9 million, in accordance with court docket papers.
The portray — “Sainte-Adresse” — is now within the assortment of the Nationwide Gallery of Artwork.
Sophocles alleged in state court docket that his grandfather, Sophocles N. Zoullas of Lausanne, Switzerland, purchased the portray for him as a present in 1995.
“Dare I say I used to be his favourite grandson,” Sophocles stated within the deposition.
Alexis additionally alleged his father absconded with less-valuable works held in storage. Each instances had been settled.
Zoullas lived with Bates in a $4.3 million penthouse on the white-glove Knickerbocker on East 72nd St, data present. The household additionally owns 4 properties in Southampton by means of numerous LLCs with a complete market worth at $24.6 million.
The flap over the Monet wasn’t the final time Zoullas tangled in court docket over artwork.
In 2016 he accused a mistress of stealing along with his $15 million “erotic artwork” assortment, which he saved alongside together with her close to Palm Seaside, according to W Journal.
The household descends from Panagiotis Pantaleon, a legendary nineteenth century Greek shipowner.
In a joint assertion, Sophocles and Alexis Zoullas stated: “We're mourning the lack of our father who lived an incredible and complex life. Whereas we revered and cherished him, we don't agree with a lot of his decisions, notably these he made later in his life, when he was sadly in a state of decline.”
The lawyer dealing with the Zoullas property didn't return messages. Bates didn't return a message.
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