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Man leaves $2M to non-existent lover in will
6 Jan
Summary
- Melbourne man's will left $2 million to an online lover.
- Court found the named executor and beneficiary does not exist.
- Ex-wife discovered the non-existent person during probate.
A Melbourne man, William Ian Southey, died at 73, leaving a will that named his online acquaintance, Kyle Stuart Jackson, as executor and primary beneficiary of $2 million. Mr. Southey had formed a connection with Jackson online in early 2022 and contemplated marriage, despite never meeting him in person.
However, during the probate process, Mr. Southey's ex-wife, Kaye Moseley, uncovered evidence suggesting Jackson was not a real person. Despite attempts to verify his identity, including a purported US passport, court investigations and a private detective concluded that Jackson did not exist as understood by Mr. Southey.
In December, the Victorian Supreme Court ruled that the person named Kyle Stuart Jackson does not exist, allowing Ms. Moseley to proceed with distributing the estate, including Mr. Southey's Kew home, without further regard for the phantom beneficiary. Ms. Moseley was ultimately entitled to distribute the residue of the estate to herself.
