Real estate heir sues over family fortune

NEW YORK — New York real estate heir Robert Durst sued a brother and a cousin on Monday, saying they were trying to restrict his right to leave assets to his wife in his will.

The cross-dressing millionaire and former fugitive said in court papers filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that the family members moved to restrict his assets after learning in October 2001 that he had married Deborah Lee Charatan.

Durst, 61, was found not guilty last November of intentionally killing his neighbor, 71-year-old Morris Black, in 2001. He remains jailed in Galveston, Texas, on bond jumping and evidence tampering charges, though his bail was decreased last week from $3 billion to $450,000.

According to the lawsuit, the Durst family owns, manages and has developed 10 premium office buildings in New York, including 4 Times Square, and the family portfolio is estimated to be in the billions of dollars.

Two trusts in Robert Durst’s name were among numerous trusts created in 1962 by his father, Seymour Durst, to benefit 13 Durst relatives, the lawsuit said.

It said Robert Durst’s brother, Douglas Durst, and cousin, Jonathan Durst, put restrictions on the trusts in October 2001 that prevent him from giving the property of his trusts to his wife.