The legal battle over the estate of Tony Hsieh, the former CEO and founder of Zappos, has intensified amid questions about a newly surfaced will. Hsieh passed away in 2020 at the age of 46 due to injuries from a house fire in Connecticut. Initially, he was believed to have died without a will.
However, a seven-page document, dated March 2015, unexpectedly appeared at a Las Vegas courthouse last year. This document has now become central to the dispute over his estate. The Wall Street Journal reported that the supposed will contains a no-contest clause concerning Hsieh’s parents and two younger brothers. If one family member contests the will, it could potentially exclude all of them.
“Questions swirl as Zappos founder Tony Hsieh’s death investigation moves ahead,” according to reports.
Richard Hsieh, Tony’s father, has requested a jury trial regarding the matter. The alleged will was sent to Las Vegas trust attorney Robert Armstrong, despite Armstrong stating he never met Hsieh, although he was named as a co-executor in the document.
An individual identifying as Kashif Singh claimed to have discovered this document among his deceased grandfather’s belongings. Armstrong’s office later received a death certificate from Balochistan, Pakistan, reportedly belonging to Singh’s grandfather.
The document’s origins remain unclear, with the sender absent from court and the listed witnesses not coming forward. Hsieh’s family believes the will is fraudulent. Consequently, forensic experts have stepped in to investigate.
In May, a Las Vegas judge appointed forensic specialist Gerry LaPorte to oversee the examination of the document. His team, which included around 150 pounds of forensic equipment, began their analysis in June. They are focusing primarily on ink analysis to verify if the document corresponds to its claimed 2015 date or if the signatures were added later. Further tests may involve handwriting, fingerprint, and DNA analysis.
Hsieh’s family has also engaged their own forensic expert, Larry Stewart, who has worked on significant cases like the Unabomber investigation and renowned assassination cases. LaPorte is expected to provide a complete report by July 24, after which the family’s experts will respond.
Fox News Digital has attempted to contact Armstrong, Singh, and Hsieh family’s attorney, Dara Goldsmith, for comments.