What Happened to the Menendez Brothers’ $90 Million Inheritance?

What Happened to the Menendez Brothers’ $90 Million Inheritance?

As a seasoned gamer who has spent countless hours navigating the twisted paths of virtual crime scenes and courtrooms, I find the story of the Menendez brothers to be a chilling reminder of the harsh realities that often follow the pursuit of wealth and power.


In 1989, the Menendez brothers – Lyle and Erik – believed they would receive an inheritance worth approximately $90 million following the murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. This information comes from a friend’s account as reported by Crime Library. To their surprise, however, the expected inheritance was not as substantial as initially thought. Nonetheless, they splurged on extravagant shopping trips and other significant purchases after the crime. Since their conviction in 1996, they have been incarcerated. Here’s a summary of what became of the Menendez brothers’ fortune:

How did the Menendez brothers lose their money and wealth?

The Money of the Menendez Brothers has essentially been depleted as a result of lavish spending, legal costs, and various outgoings.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that under California law, individuals who commit murder cannot inherit wealth from their victims. This rule applies to heirs of estates or life insurance policies, but not in cases of justifiable homicides. However, the Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, were found guilty of first-degree murder, which means this law affects them. It wasn’t until several years later that they were finally convicted for the murders of their parents.

Following the murder, it became clear that each brother would receive only $2 million after accounting for loans and taxes on their inherited assets. Among these were a Beverly Hills mansion, a 14-acre property in Calabasas, and roughly 300,000 shares of LIVE Entertainment owned by Jose, valued at $20 per share. Initially, they believed that their father had stashed away $75 million in a Swiss bank account, but no such sum was ever found or seemed to exist initially. However, they did collect $650,000 from Jose’s personal life insurance policy.

After the passing of their parents within a week’s time, the brothers splurged on luxury items such as Rolex watches, money clips, jewelry, expensive clothing, and cars to the tune of approximately $15,000, with additional undisclosed expenses. They followed this by leasing adjacent apartments in Marina del Ray, California for over $2,000 per month each. Lyle went as far as hiring bodyguards and investing in a Porsche 911 Carrera worth $64,000, while Erik opted to exchange his Ford Escort for a Jeep Wrangler instead.

As a dreamer with a heart for the culinary world, I took the plunge and purchased Chuck’s Spring Street Café for over half a million dollars, rebranding it as Mr. Buffalo’s. With ambitions of expanding the franchise, I was eager to open a second location. However, my inexperience in business proved costly, leading to financial losses.

By 1994, records from the LA Times showed that they had almost expended $10.8 million. This sum was so substantial that, after accounting for taxes and outstanding debts, they would have been left with nothing. However, it is uncertain how much money they managed to inherit prior to their imprisonment, or if the California slayer statute applied in their case retroactively. Regardless, the vast majority of the brothers’ wealth has been depleted today.

Originally reported on Mandatory.com.

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2024-09-20 17:10