-Caveat Lector- Deal brings an end to divorce battle: By settling, a Rockefeller heir and his wife avoid airing drug abuse and adultery allegations and the content of trusts.
By KRIS HUNDLEY © St. Petersburg Times, published May 13, 2000 An heir to the Rockefeller fortune and the daughter of a Reagan adviser reached a settlement late Friday afternoon in their bitterly contested and widely publicized divorce proceedings. Amy and George O'Neill Jr. have been battling for nearly three years over money, control and custody of their five children, who range in age from 1 to 8. The last-minute agreement saves the couple from a public airing of allegations of adultery, drug abuse and, perhaps most important, the contents of several highly secretive Rockefeller trusts. Details of the agreement were not disclosed. Michael R. Walsh, George O'Neill's attorney, declined to comment and refused to say whether he would seek to have the agreement sealed by the court. Mark Rabinowitz, Amy O'Neill's lawyer, did not return a phone call. Amy is the daughter of Faith Whittlesey, a two-time ambassador to Switzerland under President Ronald Reagan and former assistant to the president. George is the great-great-grandson of oil baron John D. Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil in the 1870s. George's stake in the family fortune is estimated to be about $200-million. One of the four trusts of which George is a beneficiary was set up by his great-grandfather, John D. Rockefeller Jr., in 1934. Two years ago that trust was valued at $354-million. The settlement in the O'Neill case comes after five days of intense mediation. Trial in the case had been scheduled to begin May 10, but was delayed because of the court-ordered talks. The O'Neills, who lived in the wealthy enclave of Mountain Lake outside Lake Wales, first filed for divorce in Orlando's Orange County Courthouse in July 1997. After a failed reconciliation, the couple separated in mid-1998 when Amy moved to her mother's home in Delray Beach. In lengthy depositions and court filings, Amy accused George of having oral sex with the wife of a Lake Wales funeral director, as well as affairs with local girls hired to help in his children's book publishing business. George, who denied those allegations, countered that Amy was crazy. Court records showed that Amy spent nearly $13,000 per year on professional help and another $14,400 on medications before the divorce filing. While George was pushing to have Amy's psychiatric records entered at trial, his estranged wife was equally determined to make public the assets in at least four trusts that name George as beneficiary. George's attorney had argued that the trusts were not part of the marital assets and, therefore, should not be considered in the divorce settlement. George told the court his publishing business was losing money and that he was living off trust income and gifts from his mother, who reportedly receives $1-million per month from family trusts. The value of the Rockefeller trusts has been a closely guarded family secret for generations. In 1974, during vice presidential confirmation hearings for George's uncle, Nelson Rockefeller, many in the family told him they would rather he forgo the position than disclose his net worth. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
