- John Goodman, 48, adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend Heather Hutchins last October; couple began dating in 2009
- Goodman accused of vehicular homicide in 2010 death of Scott Wilson, 23
- At least one third of Goodman's fortune can now go to Hutchins; remainder to go to his biological children
But International Polo Club Palm Beach founder John Goodman, 48, did so in a very unorthodox way.
The multimillionaire trust-fund heir adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend Heather Laruso Hutchins last fall, after being accused of drunk driving in a 2010 accident that left 23-year-old Scott Wilson dead.
Goodman is being sued by Wilson’s parents for wrongful death. According to police reports, Goodman ran a stop sign on February 10, 2010 in Wellington, Florida and smashed into Wilson, sending his car into a canal.
Circuit Judge Glenn Kelly had previously ruled that the trust funds set up for his two biological children were off-limits in the lawsuit, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Court papers show that Goodman adopted Ms Hutchins in October of last year, CBS12.com reported.
‘My reaction was that it was both awful and brilliant,’ Belray Beach adoption attorney Charlotte Danciu told CBS12.com.
The adoption papers state that Hutchins, now a legal child of Goodman, is immediately entitled to at least a third of his trust.
Goodman and Ms Hutchins began dating in 2009, according to her testimony.
The Wilsons’ attorney, Scott Smith, told the Palm Beach Post that Goodman is attempting to use the adoption to shield his assets.
‘It cannot go unrecognised that (Goodman) chose to adopt his 42-year-old adult girlfriend as opposed to a needy child,' he told the paper. goodman polo club founder charged with dui manslaughter in fatal ... Polo Club founder Goodman could face up to 30 years in prison if ...
Judge Kelley wrote that the events are taking the court ‘into a legal twilight zone.’
Ms Danciu agreed. ‘Unless you intend to create the parent-child relationship, you are violating the letter of the law,’ she told CBS12.com.
Scott Wilson was a University of Central Florida graduate and was working as a civil engineer.
He had been driving his Hyundai home to Wellington to visit his family, according to the Palm Beach New Times when he was struck by Goodman's Bentley convertible after he ran a stop sign.
Wilson's car was knocked into a nearby canal, where he drowned.
Goodman was found to have a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit after the fatal 2010 crash, police reports show.
He will be criminally tried March 6, facing charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and leaving the scene of a crash.
He could spend up to 30 years in prison if found guilty, the Palm Beach Post reports.
The civil trial will be some weeks later on March 27.
Goodman’s civil attorney Dan Bachi told myfoxorlando.com that the adoption was meant to secure the assets of his children and family investments, nothing more.
‘It has nothing to do with the lawsuit currently pending against him,’ Mr Bachi said.
Goodman’s father was the late Harold Goodman, who built a fortune from a heating and air conditioning manufacturing business.
His family sold the business in 2004 for a reported $1.4 billion.
He converted his father’s horse farm into a polo ranch and later began building his empire.
His club became a magnate for the rich and famous, entertaining the likes of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Sylvester Stallone, and Charlton Heston.
Even Madonna was spotted at the club, attending an International Polo Club match in 2009.
Goodman’s wealth is a point of a heated dispute. The Palm Beach New Times questioned the heir’s true assets, quoting Mr Wilson’s lawyer.
Attorney Chris Searcy said Goodman is much richer than his financial documents show. He is seeking punitive damages that will ‘sting (Goodman) badly without bankrupting him,’ Mr Searcy told the New Times.
According to the website, Mr Searcy thinks Goodman’s wealth is buried in numerous trusts and companies, and is as ‘sophisticated’ a method as he’s ever seen. The financial battle has been closely tied to the wrongful death suit.
In 2002, the mogul sold his Wellington estate to his children’s trust fund for $3.8million, according to the New Times. But he only rents it for $2,000 per month.
According to an August 2011 report by the Palm Beach Post, his two children have more than $200 million in their trust funds. Mr Searcy suspects he has full control over those trusts.
Mr Searcy also said in court that Goodman has an airplane, yacht, polo ponies, and an unspecified amount of his father’s $1.4billion fortune from Goodman Manufacturing.
In a 2006 document, Goodman claimed one of his trusts was worth more than $100 million.
Mr Searcy pointed out that Goodman claimed in 2011 that trust was only worth $6.9 million.
The Wilsons have already settled privately with the Player’s Club, a bar in Wellington where Goodman had been drinking in February 2010.
They claimed that the club was partially responsible for the crash because they served Goodman even though he was intoxicated.
The bartenders deposed that Goodman wasn’t noticeably drunk.
Goodman divorced his first wife Isla Carroll in 2008 after 22 years of marriage.
In the April 2009 divorce filing, Ms Carroll said she was fearful for the safety of herself as well as her children.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094910/John-Goodman-Florida-polo-tycoon-adopts-girlfriend-Heather-Hutchins-42-DAUGHTER-protect-fortune-family-man-killed-DUI-crash.html#ixzz1lFsnJX7b
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