The Tragic Final Days of NY Art Dealer Pierre Levai Saw Mistress Allegedly Starving Him to Death

The Tragic Final Days of NY Art Dealer Pierre Levai Saw Mistress Allegedly Starving Him to Death

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The death of Pierre Levai, an influential art dealer and nephew of Marlborough Gallery co-founder Frank Lloyd, has sparked a bitter legal battle over his $50 million fortune, with accusations of neglect, financial scheming, and betrayal taking center stage. According to a detailed report in The New York Post on Saturday, Levai’s wife and son claim in Manhattan Supreme Court filings that Marcia Levine, his longtime mistress, neglected and starved him to death in his final months while attempting to secure millions from his estate.

Levai passed away in June at the age of 87, but his family alleges that his final weeks were marred by horrific suffering. The New York Post reported that when Levai was admitted to a Florida hospital in April, he had not eaten for three weeks and was in critical condition due to septic shock and numerous other health complications. His wife, Rosi, and son, Max, blame Levine for his rapid decline, accusing her of reckless actions that directly led to his death.

Citing New York’s “slayer rule”—which disqualifies individuals from benefiting financially from a person’s death if they are found responsible for it—the Levai family is determined to block Levine from inheriting the $3 million earmarked for her in Levai’s will. As quoted by The New York Post, Max Levai emphasized the gravity of their claim, stating in court papers, “Ms. Levine recklessly caused Pierre’s death.”

Levai’s glamorous life and impressive career were deeply intertwined with his personal relationships, creating a tangled web that now lies at the heart of the legal dispute. As the report in The New York Post details, Levai made his fortune after establishing the New York branch of the prestigious Marlborough Gallery in 1963. Over the years, he lived a seemingly charmed life, married to his wife, Rosi, for 55 years, while openly maintaining multiple romantic relationships, including a decades-long affair with Levine, one of his employees.

Rosi Levai, in court filings cited by The New York Post, said she had accepted her husband’s infidelities and maintained an amicable relationship with him throughout the years, even as they lived apart since 2012. She took on the role of primary caretaker as Levai’s health and cognitive abilities declined, coordinating with Levine to ensure he had 24-hour care. However, tensions reportedly escalated when Levine took Levai to Miami in late 2023 for his annual winter retreat, during which his condition worsened drastically.

The fight over Levai’s estate has already spread to courts in Florida, where Levine argued that Levai was a Florida resident in an apparent bid to influence how his assets would be distributed. However, as The New York Post report indicated, a judge rejected this contention in November, siding with the Levai family’s claim that New York was his true residence. The $50 million estate at stake includes three Manhattan apartments and a home in Germantown, New York, making the question of jurisdiction critical to the legal outcome.

Meanwhile, the broader circumstances of Levai’s decline have come under intense scrutiny. The New York Post noted that Rosi Levai expressed her distress over the situation in court papers, asserting that Levine had isolated Levai from his family and failed to provide adequate care during his final months. These accusations have added a layer of emotional and ethical complexity to the already fraught financial battle.

According to court filings, Levai, arrived in Florida late last year for what was intended to be a brief winter retreat. He carried with him only a suitcase of clothes and his medications, intending to return to New York, where an apartment closer to his wife, Rosi, was being renovated. But as The New York Post reports, Levai “would never return.”

Days after Levai’s arrival in Florida, Levine allegedly began isolating him from his family and attempting to alter his estate plan, according to the lawsuit. The court documents reveal that Levine cut off communication between Levai and his wife, Rosi, and their son, Max. The New York Post reported that Levine took control of Levai’s cell phone and actively prevented him from contacting his family.

Rosi Levai, in her court filings, stated that Levine’s behavior became secretive and manipulative, particularly concerning Levai’s declining health. “Marcia began to keep secrets from me about Pierre’s condition . . . and attempted to take advantage of Pierre in his weakened and demented state,” she alleged, according to The New York Post.

In a shocking twist, Levine allegedly orchestrated the purchase of a $7 million apartment in Miami and collaborated with a Florida lawyer, Paul Cowan, to draft estate documents that contradicted Levai’s long-standing wishes.

Perhaps the most harrowing allegations involve Levine’s handling of Levai’s end-of-life care. According to The New York Post report, Levine refused to take Levai off life support for weeks, despite his express wishes. This decision, the family claims, caused unnecessary suffering.

“As a result of the shameful and dishonest actions of Cowan and Marcia . . . Pierre lay strapped to his bed for weeks in significant pain and unable to speak to his family or enjoy a pain-free moment,” court documents allege.

Levai’s family asserted that these actions were not only cruel but also designed to exploit his vulnerable state to secure financial benefits. The New York Post report highlighted the family’s contention that Levine’s behavior in Levai’s final months was part of a larger scheme to alter his estate for personal gain.

Despite the serious allegations, sources close to Levine have vehemently defended her actions. A source quoted by The New York Post insisted that Levine and Levai shared “an extremely loving, mutually supportive relationship for decades” and that they would never harm each other. Levine’s legal team is reportedly preparing to address the allegations in court, expressing confidence in clearing her name.

Still, the case paints a grim picture of Levai’s final months, marked by alleged isolation from his loved ones and significant physical suffering.

As The New York Post reported, this high-stakes case is far from resolved, promising further revelations as it progresses through the courts. For now, the controversy casts a long shadow over the life of a man whose contributions to the art world remain undeniable but whose final chapter has become a source of profound dispute.