Overview

• Citibank filed a claim for $98,345.29 and Bank of America for $4,329.75 against the $80 million estate for unpaid credit card debt.
• Gene Hackman’s 2005 will appointed his wife, Betsy Arakawa, as sole beneficiary and trustee but did not account for her predeceasing him or the 2019 death of the backup trustee, Michael G. Sutin.
• The absence of an active successor trustee has stalled estate administration and prompted legal uncertainty over asset distribution.
• Hackman’s three adult children—Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne—were excluded from the will and have declared their intention to challenge the trust in court.
• The estate remains valued at about $80 million, and court orders continue to seal investigative records to protect family privacy during the unfolding litigation.