Fight for $200M fortune heats up as letter from heiress assails lawyer

An increasingly bitter legal battle over the $200 million estate of Abigail Kawananakoa intensified over the weekend as the 91-year-old Campbell Estate heiress, in a letter transmitted by her longtime partner, accused her former attorney of ignoring her wishes and mismanaging her financial affairs.

The accusations against James Wright were contained in a handwritten letter transmitted to local media organizations by Kawananakoa’s personal secretary and longtime partner, Veronica Gail Worth, whom Wright has accused of “physically, financially and emotionally” abusing Kawananakoa.

The controversy arose after Kawananakoa suffered a stroke June 18. Wright, who had represented Kawananakoa for nearly 20 years, was granted control over Kawananakoa’s trust on the grounds that, as the court filing stated, Kawananakoa was “unable to meet essential requirements of physical health, safety, self-care or financial matters, even with appropriate and reasonably available technological assistance.”

Worth, who holds health care power of attorney for Kawananakoa, is challenging the move in what she has said is an effort to return control of the trust to Kawananakoa.

In her written statement, Kawananakoa stated she is “alive and well after suffering a minor attack” and chides Wright for previously stating that he was present at the emergency room on June 17, which happened to be the day before her stroke. (Wright confirmed that he was present on June 18, along with several of Kawananakoa’s staff.)

Kawananakoa also stated that she fired Wright in writing because “he was not following my wishes and he was mismanaging my financial affairs.”

“I had lost my trust in him and he no doubt knew he was in the process of being terminated,” she wrote.

Kawananakoa further criticized Wright for not informing her of his intent to take control of the trust following her stroke.

However, Wright said Sunday by email to the Star-Advertiser that Kawananakoa, concerned that she would be unable to handle her affairs due to accident or illness, had previously made arrangements calling for Wright to assume control of the trust should she be incapacitated.

“She set up in writing a plan with me as successor trustee and her long-time bookkeeper Betty Lou Stroup as her power of attorney during any period of incapacity — that period ends if she becomes able to handle her affairs,” Wright said. “Mrs. Stroup handles the matters outside the trust and I handle what is in the trust. We work cooperatively.”

Wright said he and Stroup had the option of accepting or declining the designations when Kawananakoa’s doctors concluded that she could not manage her affairs. He said Kawananakoa and Worth were both notified the day Stroup submitted the petition to the court.

Wright said he was fired by Kawananakoa on July 18, after she was advised of the petition.

“I became the successor trustee on July 12, which is the day I accepted the obligations under the trust,” Wright said. “The petition was in order to speed up dealing with financing issues. The acceptance made me the successor. Her letter (of termination) had no legal effect.”

Wright said that in the weeks after suffering the stroke, and prior to his dismissal, Kawananakoa “had no interest in her business and refused to discuss it or even to read the memos which I sent to her.

“She said repeatedly that she would not read anything, would not do anything (‘I am indisposed’) and Mrs. Stroup and I had to handle everything,” he said.

During this time, Worth unsuccessfully tried to have $30,000 transferred from Kawananakoa’s account to her own, Wright said.

According to Wright, Worth had previously tried to obtain $26 million in James Campbell Co. stock through an irrevocable agreement, under advisement from her lawyer Michael Rudy.

“When (Kawananakoa) refused, Worth abandoned her in March 2017 and did not return to the house until the day after the stroke,” he said.

Wright also accused Worth of bringing in attorney Michael Lilly to serve as Kawananakoa’s new legal representative, despite Kawananakoa’s “suspicion and dislike” for Lilly.

“(Kawananakoa) needs an independent attorney and I will ask the probate court to appoint one,” Wright said.