Kerkorian Companion Reaches Settlement In $7 Million Suit

LOS ANGELES, CA – A judge Friday approved a $7.27 million settlement reached between the estate of Kirk Kerkorian and a woman who sued alleging the late billionaire promised to provide for her if she agreed to be his companion in the late stages of his life before his 2015 death.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Stratton's ruling give an official blessing to resolution of Vanessa Sandin's civil complaint against the Kerkorian estate. Sandin had originally sought $20 million.

Stratton said she was initially concerned about what could happen if the estate closes before the IRS determines if any taxes are due on the settlement. However, estate lawyer Miriam Golbert said the estate is currently under audit and that any potential tax issues will be resolved before the estate closes.

Stratton overruled objections to the Sandin settlement filed by filed on behalf of Kerkorian's widow, Una Davis, who in a separate action alleges she is entitled to a third of the estate – about $600 million, based on its $1.8 billion value at the businessman's death.

Davis' attorney, James Harvey, said after the hearing that Stratton's ruling is not a setback. But he added that the taxes on the Sandin settlement could push the cost to the estate to over $10 million.

Harvey also said that while the estate once characterized Sandin's claim in the same negative way it has Davis', the estate suddenly decided to settle with Sandin late last year.

In their original court papers, the estate's lawyers stated that Sandin hoped to "obtain a windfall from Mr. Kerkorian's estate following her short romantic liaison with Mr. Kerkorian during the last year of his life" and that her lawsuit was "predicated on overgenerous interpretations of verbal statements" by Kerkorian that she construed as forming a contract.

Harvey said the estate has denied them access to depositions in the Sandin lawsuit so they could evaluate the estate's seemingly sudden change-of- heart regarding the Sandin claim.

As part of the Sandin settlement, she agreed to abide by the confidentiality provisions of an agreement she and Kerkorian signed in June 2014, the petition states. However, Sandin can talk about information that is public in court documents, any details about her long-term friendship with the billionaire prior to the agreement and that she was with the casino mogul during the last year of his life and when he died, according to the estate's petition.

In her breach-of-agreement lawsuit filed in May 2016, the 50-year-old real estate agent said she revised her work and child care schedules to accommodate her commitment to Kerkorian.

Sandin maintained that Kerkorian promised to keep her financially sound for life.

"Throughout the last year of his life, Kirk continued to tell me, and those around him, that he wanted to provide for me," Sandin said in a sworn statement.

Sandin said she was so loyal to Kerkorian that she increased the time she spent with him until his death in June 2015 at age 98.

As Kerkorian's health declined in the spring of 2015, Sandin says she "rarely left the house and I rarely left his side." She maintained that the longest period she spent away from Kerkorian was three days so she could attend her father's funeral in March 2015.

Kerkorian initially did not say how much he was giving her, but he ultimately "settled on the $20 million figure and told me that this is how much he wanted me to have to always be solvent and so that I would not have to work," according to Sandin's court papers.

Kerkorian developed key properties on the Las Vegas Strip, including the MGM and MGM Grand. He also invested in and operated businesses in a number of industries, including airlines, automakers, Chrysler Corp., General Motors and film studios. He purchased MGM Studios three times, bought United Artists and tried to acquire Columbia Pictures.

City News Service; Image via Shutterstock