Gail Posner, daughter of the corporate takeover king Victor Posner, died aged 67 in March, but her three dogs continue to have full-time staff, wear �10,000 Cartier necklaces and enjoy weekly spa treatments.
However, Conchita, a chihuaha, and two other dogs called April Maria and Lucia, might have to scale back on the luxuries if Posner's only son, Bret Carr, a filmmaker, gets his way.
He claims his mother was brainwashed into leaving so much of her fortune to her pets by her household staff, who were left a total of �20 million in her 2008 will. The document left him with just a �600,000 inheritance. In a lawsuit filed in Florida, he says his mother should have left the entire estate to him.
Mr Carr claims his mother's housekeeper and other personal aides drugged her with pain medication before getting her to change her will in favour of the dogs.
Posner's housekeeper Elizabeth Beckford was told she would get �3m if she agreed to care for the three dogs at the mansion. Her daughter, an assistant housekeeper, received �600,000.
Hernado Quintero, Posner's bodyguard, received �7m, Orion Sewell, a second bodyguard, got �5m and a personal trainer was bequeathed �1.3m.
But in court papers filed in Miami, Mr Carr claimed his mother was a "deeply disturbed" woman who was encouraged by her staff to buy diamond jewelry for
her pets.
He alleged the staff coerced her into leaving a huge inheritance to the dogs, over which they would get control.
Posner, who inherited an estimated �50m fortune from her father, often boasted about the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by her dogs.
In a 2007 interview, she said she bought a $15,000 diamond-studded Cartier necklace for Conchita, but it didn't meet the dog's tastes.
"Conchita is the only girl I know who doesn't consider diamonds her best friend," she said.
She also bought the dog custom made wigs created by the Beatles' former make-up artist, Ruth Regina.
Mr Carr's lawyer, Bruce Katzen, said: "Gail had a serious drug problem. She had cancer and suffered from bipolar disorder and she was easily influenced."
All involved in the case declined to comment.
The case is bears similarities to the controversy surrounding the will left by hotel tycoon Leona Helmsely.
She left $12 million to her Maltese terrier, named Trouble, while ignoring two of her grandchildren.
A judge later reduced the amount to $2 million.
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