Leona Helmsley a billionaire New York City hotel operator and real estate investor died on August 20, 2007 aged 87. Nicknamed "The Queen of Mean" she left USD$12 million to her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble. In 2007, Forbes magazine ranked her as the 369th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion.

A flamboyant personality, Mrs Helmsley had a reputation for tyrannical behavior that helped earn her nickname. She was convicted of federal income tax evasion and other crimes in 1989 and served 19 months in prison (and two more months in house arrest), after receiving an initial sentence of 16 years. 

She was entombed next to Harry Helmsley in an extravagant mausoleum assessed at $1.4 million, set on five secluded acres in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Westchester County, New York.

Helmsley left her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble, a USD$12 million trust fund, according to her will. But two of Helmsley's grandchildren got nothing from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire's estate. She also left millions for her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, who was named to care for Trouble in her absence, as well as two of four grandchildren from her late son Jay Panzirer -so long as they visit their father's grave site once each calendar year. Helmsley left nothing to two of Jay Panzirer's other children, Craig and Meegan Panzirer for "reasons that are known to them," she wrote. She also left her chauffeur Nicholas Celea, $100,000.