Leona Helmsley's $12 Million Dollar Dog.

Leona Helmsley made news last year when the contents of her Last Will and Testament were made public.  While billions of dollars made it into the hands of a charitable trust, a substantial sum-- $12 million—was set aside specifically for her 9 year-old Maltese dog, “Trouble.”

The public was incensed. Many death threats were aimed at Trouble, and while the public had no legal bearing on Helmsley’s post-mortem gift-giving, her family soon contested the will. The document was under judicial scrutiny for nearly a year before Judge Reena Roth ruled that Helmsley was mentally incompetent when she drafted the will.  The $12 million reserved for Trouble was cut down to $2 million, with the remaining $10 million being distributed between two previously-excluded grandchildren and a charity.

Leona Helmsley was the wife of real estate mogul Harry Helmsley, who managed large properties throughout New York City. She is succeeded by her brother and four grandchildren.