Relatives of Tony Hsieh are reportedly having difficulty figuring out the origins of a mysterious will that was sent to a court in Las Vegas earlier this year.
Hsieh, known for revitalizing the online shoe store Zappos before its sale to Amazon for $1.2 billion in 2009, passed away after suffering injuries in a house fire in 2020.
Robert Armstrong, a real estate planner from Nevada, opined he was astonished that he had been appointed executor of the estate, despite never having met Hsieh.
This week, a judge in Las Vegas assigned Armstrong and attorney Mark Ferrario to oversee the estate as special managers. Their role involves supporting the validity of the will.
Before this year, the estate was managed by Richard Fusier, Hsieh’s father. Since Hsieh’s passing, there seems to have been a belief that no will existed.
Efforts to uncover the will’s origins have led Richard Fusier’s lawyers to comb through various business documents and estate plans. They reported finding minimal clues regarding the witness who signed it, others mentioned in the will, or the two trusts specified.
The document was sent by an individual claiming to be Kashiv Singh. However, the family’s representatives have been unable to locate Singh.
Armstrong mentioned receiving a call identifying Singh shortly after he learned of his role as executor. He later provided someone with a death certificate for Singh, who was reportedly born in Pakistan and passed away in October 2022.
Interestingly, the will and accompanying letters were sent to the Las Vegas court from two different locations—an envelope from Greenwich, Connecticut had a Las Vegas return address, while another letter from Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania was linked to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The will includes a provision indicating that if the rest of Hsieh’s family challenges his wishes, they would forfeit any inheritance. It also appears to allocate over $50 million and some Las Vegas properties into a set of trusts, though it’s not clear who the beneficiaries are.
Judge Gloria Starman characterized the situation as “strange,” adding, “But that doesn’t mean [the will is] invalid. It’s just weird.” She decided against removing Richard Fusier from his role as property manager for the estate.
