- Andrew Findlay died in a boating accident last year
- Now, his family is at war over his $20 million estate.
The former partner of a Sydney businessman who died in a boating accident has launched a lawsuit over his $20 million estate.
The body of tech entrepreneur Andrew Findlay was found washed up among rocks near The Gap in Watson’s Bay, in the city’s eastern suburbs, a week after he went missing on July 27, 2023.
Police believe the 51-year-old and his art dealer friend Tim Klingender were not wearing life jackets when a freak wave hit their 7.8 meter Brig inflatable boat during a fishing expedition.
The men died when the ship crashed onto rocks.
Now his podiatrist ex-partner, Liz Kemp, has launched a civil case in the New South Wales Supreme Court to have the court recognize his 2015 will, which names her as the sole executor and beneficiary.
The body of technology entrepreneur Andrew Findlay (pictured with his children), who went missing after a boating accident in Sydney Harbor a week ago, has been found.
Pictured: Liz Kemp with her ex-husband, cricket legend Brett Lee. They have a son together
The couple have three children together and separated in 2019. The separation resulted in a property deal in 2021, after which Kemp purchased a $4.2 million home in Balgowlah.
Findlay walked away from the deal with a mid-century designer property called Camelot in Centennial Park, which was last purchased for $4 million in 2012 but is now worth about $20 million.
His family will argue that Findlay prepared an informal will in 2019 that named his children as beneficiaries of his estate, but it was not signed or witnessed, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
That document named the businessman’s cousin, David Findlay, as executor and administrator of the estate until his children turned 18. He is the defendant in Ms. Kemp’s matter.
Andrew Findlay’s estate includes a $20 million property in Centennial Park called Camelot (pictured)
Camelot (pictured) was purchased for about $4 million in 2012, but is now worth about $20 million.
According to the publication, Findlay emailed his cousin on June 5, 2019, saying, “This is my new will.” I still have to sign it in front of (lawyer) Emma Grimes, but I intend to do so.’
‘I just sent you the will because I haven’t exchanged it with my lawyer yet. If I were to fall under a bus from now on, my wishes would at least be clear.’
Findlay’s family alleges that, a week after sending that email, he told his attorney that he had recently changed his will.
Ms Kemp’s lawyers say he was aware of the requirements for executing a will and did not execute the 2019 informal will, despite regularly consulting lawyers.
Kemp was married to Australian cricket legend Brett Lee, with whom she shares a son.
At the time of her death, Findlay was in a relationship with clothing store owner Lakshi Pillai.
Lakshmi Pillai was in a relationship with Andrew Findlay (pictured together) when she died
The ship tragedy also claimed the life of prominent Indigenous art dealer Tim Klingender (right)
On his birthday in August last year, she wrote on social media: ‘Happy birthday to the BEST. I miss you deeply.’
Findlay and Klingender had gone fishing around 7.30am on July 20, 2023, when their boat was smashed onto rocks by five-metre waves.
Klingender was only wearing socks when his body was discovered in debris scattered among the rocks below Jacobs Ladder at South Head.
Dangerous conditions over that weekend prevented police from recovering evidence from the ship, and the search for Mr. Findlay was scaled back under the presumption that he was dead.
His body was found almost a week later.