The owner of the world’s largest children’s publishing house left all his fortune to his lover and nothing to his family

Richard robinson, owner of the American publishing house School, died suddenly at the age of 84 on June 5 while walking on Martha’s Vineyard. However, his family never imagined that the businessman left his entire fortune to Iole Lucchese, the company’s chief strategy officer. This caused the discontent of his children and his ex-wife, which could lead to a long and bitter legal battle.

In the succession plan established by the owner and CEO of the publisher valued at $ 1.2 billion, also decided that Lucchese inherit all of Robinson’s personal property, as reported by “The Wall Street Journal”, in addition to the majority share of Scholastic shares, who left him.

So none of Robinson’s children, Ben Yes Reece, nor his siblings named in the document. His ex-wife and mother of two children was also not mentioned, Helene V. Benham, with whom the businessman had a good relationship, to the point that she was with him when he died.

For its part, Reece robinson, the under-25-year-old son, said finding out about the father’s last wishes was “Unexpected and impactful”.

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Ben robinson, the eldest son of 34, said: “What I want most is a friendly outcome.” Moreover, he said that never met Lucchese until they talk about her father’s legacy last week. It was “like pouring salt into an open wound,” he said. “We hope to have a collaborative approach to inheritance,” he added, without further details, in dialogue with the Wall Street Journal.

Especially none of Robinson’s children were involved in the parenting business. Reece He works as a documentary maker and although he tried to get involved with Scholastic, he never worked there full time. While his brother Ben operates a sawmill and workshop that produces lumber, flooring and furniture from trees on Martha’s Vineyard. The young man said he has expressed in recent years his desire to become more involved in the company, including “More explicitly the desire to be a member of the Council”.

On the other hand, Robinson’s ex-wife, Helen Benham, She was also surprised by the will that the father of her children left: “He surprised me. We did not expect that.” The woman worked for several years at the publishing house, until the couple’s divorce in 2003. However, Benham assured that after the pandemic, her ex-husband reconnected with her, her and her children.

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Robinson “He spent all his free time with us. Not just on weekends, but also regular nights with us in Manhattan. I was coming back to the family, ”said Benham.

Robinson and Benham met at the company after she started working in the art department in 1974, but they only came out in the 1980saccording to the Wall Street Journal. They married in 1986.

“I lived and breathed Scholastic while raising our two children”, he said in an email to the WSJ.

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In the 2018 will, Robinson described Lucchese, a executive with 30 years of experience in the company, like “My dearest partner and friend.” However, according to interviews the newspaper made with relatives and former employees, The relationship between Robinson, 84, and Luccesse, 54, was an open secret at the company. Although there have also been versions that argued that the last time they were separated.

Iole Lucchese She has been with the publisher since 1991, when she became an associate editor in book clubs and rose through the ranks until her appointment. strategy director in 2014. Two years later, she became the sole president of Scholastic Canada and in 2018 added the title of president of Scholastic Entertainment.

According to company staff at The Wall Street Journal, she and Robinson “had some sweet moments, as well as several disputes,” during which they argued over the direction of the company and its expansion. However, they also stated that Robinson trusted him who was part of his entourage.

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For their part, the Robinson brothers, who have publishing quotas, were willing to accompany Lucchese. Mary Sue Robinson Morrill, one of Robinson’s sisters, said in a written statement that she and her brothers agreed. “Our first objective is the continuation of the mission and the legacy of Scholastic, the vision and brilliant work of our father and brother Dick, and we are sure that the new management of the company is fully committed to this goal “, he stressed.

In addition, Guillaume Robinson, the younger brother of Richard Robinson, said that his brother and his father wanted to keep Scholastic independent. “Our family value was that we would prefer not to have the financial benefit that we might get from a sale if it means the business will not be what it was in the future,” he said. , and assured: “It’s more than just a business for us.”