There are disputes in Swiss courts over part of the Hermès inheritance. However, the Geneva judiciary has now taken a firm stance on one matter.
Childless billionaire Nicolas Puech, a fifth-generation heir to the luxury brand Hermès, wanted to adopt his gardener in order to bequeath him part of his fortune.
Search for assets
He had actually planned to make one Geneva foundation rich in the event of his death. But the 80-year-old no longer wants to know anything about this and would rather benefit a 51-year-old original Moroccan.
But before all of that happened, he sought to recover lots of money from his former asset manager, as the Hermès heir suddenly noticed missing billions in his coffers.
He had lost shares in the French luxury group, as well as assets. The former asset manager was supposedly to blame, according to the allegations, which even involved the Geneva courts.
Unspecific complaints
However, the latter did not take up the case, as the regularly well-informed newspapers “Tribune de Genève” and “24 Heures” reported on Puech, who lives in Valais.
In several criminal complaints, the billionaire had accused the asset manager of forging documents and acting in bad faith.
However, the public prosecutor’s office did not want to respond to those allegations because they were too vague and not detailed enough.
Help from the Supreme Court
The appeals court now takes a similar view, dismissing the objection to the judicial authorities’ inaction on July 12.
The fraud involving the 12 billion Swiss francs was not proven, it said. Furthermore, Hermès heir Puech could not explain how he had been robbed of his assets.
Now, only the Federal Supreme Court can help the man, as he can still appeal against the decisions of the Geneva judiciary.
Clause could help
However, the Moroccan has long since ceased to be a “poor man”, as the Hermès heir has constantly made him rich.
The billionaire’s former gardener and janitor already has a villa worth millions in Montreux and an estate in Morocco, as Swiss media have discovered.
The inheritance contract with the foundation, which is also currently being disputed in court, at least contains a clause stating that in the case of a descendant, at least 50 percent of the inheritance will go to this person and no longer to the Isocrates Foundation.
Counterclaim over allegations
In this respect, adoption of the Moroccan by Puech would make sense.
However, it is still not clear what actual amount the ‘50 percent’ refers to.
And this property could also be diminished, as the former asset manager is now also planning to sue the Hermès heir, claiming false accusations.
25.07.2024/kut./ena.
