Forgery Bombshell: Lawyer For ‘Missing’ Don Lewis Claims His Supposed Will Bequeathing $5 Million Estate To Ex-Wife Carole Baskin Was Faked
The lawyer for Carole Baskin's "missing" husband, Don Lewis, believes his will that left his $5 million estate to his tiger-loving wife was forged because of one bizarre clause, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Lewis vanished in August 1997 after allegedly telling Baskin he was going to Costa Rica on his personal plane. His vehicle was later discovered at a private airfield on the outskirts of Tampa, Florida, and about 40 miles from the big cat sanctuary he owned.
There is no evidence of him getting on his or any flight, and his banking activity ceased. Despite the bizarre disappearance, Baskin recently insisted her husband, who was legally declared dead in 2002, is "alive and well" — something his family scoffed at.
"We know he's not alive OK,” the family spokesperson Jack “Ripper” Smith told RadarOnline.com exclusively in response to Baskin's claims. Lewis' lawyer is also calling BS, claiming he saw red flags as soon as he laid sight on the will.
Baskin was given complete control over Lewis' $5 million estate in an event of a "disability or disappearance" when she produced his will and power of attorney. Joe Fritz said the disappearance clause made him suspicious immediately.
"In my law office, we have lawyers with more than 100 years combined experience, and none of us has ever heard the word 'disappearance' used in a document like that," he told The U.S. Sun.
"Never. Not in one case. It leaves me to believe that a non-lawyer did that," Fritz insisted, adding, "Who the f--- thinks they're going to disappear?"
Lewis' attorney also believes the signatures on the will and power of attorney were forged, saying he thinks someone with knowledge of the law, but not a lawyer, later added the "disappearance" clause.
Baskin had previously admitted to authoring the legal documents, but she did so because Don wanted to save money on attorney fees.
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- 'Tiger King' Star Carole Baskin's Husband 'ALIVE & Well' In Costa Rica After Being Declared Dead In 2002
- Kept In The Dark: Carole Baskin's Employees Allegedly Thought All Was 'Business As Usual' After Don Lewis Went Missing: Source
A lady by the name of Susan Aronoff — whose name is also on the documents — had told authorities that she was present for the signing of the will and power of attorney. She later changed her story.
Aronoff "came forward and said she felt pressured at the time to say that it was signed by everyone," Sheriff Chronister stated.
"I'm pretty confident, she says that she felt to prove her allegiance to Carol that she felt pressured into saying that she witnessed those signatures."
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Lewis vanished two short months after he obtained an order of protection against Baskin claiming, “This is the second time Carole has got (sp) angry enouf (sic) to threaton (sic) to kill me."
The handwritten documents also state, “She has a 45 revolver, and she took my 357 and hid it…most violent."
Lewis' family and his attorney aren't the only ones calling Baskin out. Her archenemy Joe Exotic slammed her "alive and well" statement, telling RadarOnline.com from behind bars: “Don Lewis is NOT alive. I have her original diary and trust me she hated him so bad she could not kill him fast enough."
Joe is serving 21 years in a Texas federal prison after he was convicted of a murder-for-hire plot to kill Baskin.
She has long denied any involvement in Lewis’ disappearance.
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