Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul behind Fox Corp and News Corp, has been embroiled in a legal battle with three of his five children over control of the Murdoch Family Trust. In a ruling by a Nevada district court, it was found that Murdoch and his eldest son, Lachlan, acted in bad faith by attempting to change the trust’s ownership in favor of Lachlan. The court called their actions a “carefully crafted charade” to solidify Lachlan’s control over the empire.
The court’s decision has not been finalized, and the case will now go before a district judge for further consideration. Rupert and Lachlan intend to appeal the ruling. The other three affected children, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence, have welcomed the commissioner’s decision and hope to move past the litigation to rebuild family relationships.
This legal battle was sparked by disagreements over the future ownership of the trust after Rupert Murdoch’s death, with the children inspired by an episode of the HBO series “Succession” to address the issue. Rupert’s decision to name Lachlan as his sole heir to News Corp, rather than involve all four affected children equally, has caused tensions within the family.
The Murdoch family has a history of conflicts, including the 2010 phone-hacking scandal that rocked News Corp. The ongoing legal battle underscores the complex dynamics at play in family-owned businesses, with power struggles and succession planning causing rifts among family members. As the court case continues, the future of the Murdoch Family Trust remains uncertain.
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