The 2-year-old daughter of “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi might not have dead billionaire buyout king Teddy Forstmann’s genes, but she will certainly have his cash.
The 71-year-old mogul, who died of cancer last November with an estimated worth of $1.8 billion, left a trust fund for Krishna Lakshmi even though he famously wasn’t her father.
Lakshmi and the silver-haired Forstmann were romantically linked for several years prior to his death. And the couple were together when the model and TV personality gave birth to the girl, who turned 2 on Monday.
In November, a source close to Forstmann told the Daily Mail in London that the investor had been “carrying out the role of father since the moment Krishna was delivered into his arms.”
As a result of his behavior, there was speculation that the private equity investor and IMG chairman was the father. But Krishna’s dad was later revealed to be venture capitalist Adam Dell, the brother of Dell Computer founder Michael Dell.
In January 2011, Dell, whose relationship with Lakshmi reportedly ended in 2009, filed a lawsuit seeking full custody of Krishna and to have his name added to the birth certificate.
Court papers filed in the legal battle reportedly revealed that Lakshmi, 41, had told Dell that she hoped Forstmann would prove to be Krishna’s biological father.
A source familiar with the situation says the lawsuit has since been resolved.
In the will, filed in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court, Forstmann refers to reality cooking show queen Lakshmi as “my friend.”
The document forgives all debts she owed him “representing loans made by me before or after the date of this will.”
The specifics of Krishna’s Trust and any loans Forstmann forgave were not contained in the court files available to the public, however.
The filings include a request from a lawyer for Forstmann’s estate asking that copies of the billionaire’s trusts be kept secret.
Surrogate Judge Kristin Booth Glen approved the will on Feb. 6.
A spokeswoman for Lakshmi declined to comment.
Although Forstmann never married, he dated a number of high-profile women over the course of his life, including actress Elizabeth Hurley and, briefly, Princess Diana.
Lakshmi was previously married to author Salman Rushdie for three years.
Estate lawyers say providing for children other than your own in a will is not unusual.
It may be just an education trust,”
said Arelen Harris, co-chair of the trust and estate department for over 40 years at the firm Kaye Scholer. “But it sounds like he was closest to this woman. There’s more to it here.”
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