Thursday, May 14, 2009

Francs for Francois and Francoise - L'Oreal's Bettencourt has plent to go around


The sanity of 86-year-old Liliane Bettencourt, heir to the L'Oreal cosmetics fortune valued at about $23 billion dollars, is being questioned by her daughter Francoise-Marie Banier. She claims that her mother has been manipulated into giving a $1 billion gift to her gentleman companion Francois-Marie Banier, a sixty-one year old photographer. The gift is in the form of life insurance policies, artwork, and other non-specified gifts.

Liliane's thoughts on the matter. "What I gave to Francois-Marie Banier, although it is a large sum is really not that much when put in proportion." Bettencourt says her daughter will inherit most of her estate when she is gone, but for now will spend her money any way she wants.

Liliane agreed to evaluation by an independent psychiatrist who gave her a clean bill of mental health, but the prosecutor is asking for an additional report by a panel three experts including one of his own choosing. Bettencourt has not yet responded to the new request.

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