Astor heir charged over will fraud

The son of the legendary grande dame of New York society, Brooke Astor, who died in August at the age of 105, has been charged with 16 counts of conspiracy and grand larceny, relating to the handling of his mother's £100m fortune and controversial changes to her will. Anthony Marshall, 83, her only son from three marriages, and a once successful theatre producer, appeared in court in New York yesterday after the Manhattan District Attorney's office spent a year investigating.

Another man, Francis Morrissey, a lawyer who was suspended for two years in the 1990s, is also charged with conspiracy and grand larceny - but also with forgery. He was 'out of town' yesterday but is expected to surrender himself later this week.

District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said: "Anthony Marshall and Francis Morrissey took advantage of Mrs Astor's diminished mental capacity in a scheme to defraud her and others out of millions of dollars. Anthony Marshall abused his power of attorney and convinced Mrs Astor to sell property by falsely telling her that she was running out of money."

Morgenthau said the two men were accused of persuading Mrs. Astor to change her will with two amendments, leaving Anthony Marshall her estate outright and changing her longstanding plan to leave money to charity. The most serious charge, grand larceny, is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

Mrs Astor's wealth came from her third marriage to Vincent Astor, heir to the property fortune of John Jacob Astor. She became a formidable philanthropist, giving nearly $100m to charities, libraries and museums.

The DA's investigation was prompted by the accusation last year by Anthony Marshall's son Philip that his father was neglecting his grandmother's care and stealing her money. It was said that she was forced to sleep in a torn nightgown on a couch that smelled of urine. ·