"guzman" inheritance

[muzik2407]

hello,

what do you know of the 'guzman inheritance'? I have heard rumors of it since I was a child. I would like to get more information. Thanks.-

[Forbeca]

Originally posted by muzik2407
hello,

what do you know of the 'guzman inheritance'? I have heard rumors of it since I was a child. I would like to get more information. Thanks.-

This is a fascinating story. My best friend's family (Spaniards) claim to be descendents of "El Baron de la Atalaya" (as he was crowned by the queen of Spain). The baron was a fearless soldier sent to the DR and supposedly died there. He was never married and his fortune is being held in Spain. Needless to say, many have come forward to claim the inheritance, but have not had in their possession what the Spanish authorities are looking for.

[muzik2407]

Well, in my family, they swear they are the "only" decendants. And you are correct, the banks & lawyers have requested certain documents. Again, my family swears they have "it". Also, years ago the only rightful heirs are those with the guzman name and with a mystery surname. Again, my family swears they are the heirs to both last names. But yesteday as I understand it, there was a spanish tv report. It was reported that all guzmans will have an equal share and that the trustees have 60 days make a formal announcement. So yes, its an interesting story that hopefully my generation will finally get some closure. Thanks for replying

[Forbeca]

I know for sure my girlfriend's family have a lot of evidence connecting them to the Baron. There are not that many families in the Cibao area with both of the last names. Perhaps you guys are all related. Wouldn't that be something.

Good luck to all of you.

[Timex]

Can we have more please????????

We all like a well told adventure.

The web turned up nada.

Thanks
Tim H.

[Fabio J. Guzman]

This is a recurring story. My father, a Guzmán and a lawyer, was contacted again and again for years by distant relatives, including an archbishop, requesting his help in investigating the inheritance. He never paid any attention to it and always believed it was scam by some Guzmáns to get some easy money from relatives for free trips to Switzerland.

When I became a lawyer, it was my turn. A group of cousins from Salcedo, Moca, Santiago and La Vega approached me and asked me to investigate. I told them I didn't believe the story was true but that if they wished I would retain Swiss counsel to do some preliminary work. Of course, they would have to pay the legal fees in Switzerland. I would not charge anything for my services. They accepted and I proceeded to write the following letter:

February 6, 1992


Dr. XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
3001 BERN, SWITZERLAND.

Dear Dr. XXXXX:

A report from the Spanish news agency EFE has appeared in the local press indicating the existence of an unclaimed inheritance in Switzerland belonging to some members of the Guzmán family here in the Dominican Republic.

According to the EFE report, a copy of which you will find enclosed, a bank employee has confirmed to the news agency the existence of a bank account, opened in 1865 by José Eugenio Guzmán, with a current balance of over a billion dollars. The bank is identified as the Swiss Volkbank in Bern and the account number is given as 284-5123-32z-0148.

We have a group of clients here in the Dominican Republic who claim to be descendants of José Eugenio Guzmán who are interested in finding out the truth of the press reports with the intention of claiming their share of the inheritance. They have asked us to contact and retain Swiss legal counsel to look into this matter.

We would like your law firm to make the necessary inquiries to ascertain the truth of the press report and, in case the estate really exists, to give us a legal opinion with regards to the possibility of our clients claiming part of the inheritance.

Please let us know as soon as possible if your firm is willing to handle this case and what the legal fees would be. You may send your correspondence to ...... or contact us by fax (....) or telephone (....).

Very truly yours,


Fabio J. Guzmán

A few days later I got a call from Dr. XXXX requesting a retainer to begin his investigation at $200 to $250 an hour. I relayed the information to my cousins and never heard from them again. Case closed.

[Timex]

A Billion dollars, wow.


I Thank You, for enlightening me.

Tim H.

[Chirimoya]

My husband, whose surname is Guzman and whose family come from Juan Lopez, Moca, did some research on this in the 90s. It is the stuff of movie screenplays.

The chap in question, Jose Eugenio Guzman, made his fortune by selling mahogany logs to the Union Pacific Railway for their sleepers, the story goes. Was persuaded to deposit his millions - in gold ingots - in a Swiss bank, but died intestate and his decendants - apparently he had no children himself, just dozens of nieces and nephews through his many brothers and sisters: but none of these had the knowledge or ability to access the money, which has grown and grown in value over the years. My husband says that the families even have a number for the bank account.

Could all be a big fat myth, but relatives allege cover ups including demolition of cemeteries in Moca and loss of parish records. Even Trujillo is involved: he was said to have tried to get at the money, without success, although some believe that he and some of his cronies did, on the quiet.

The truth is that many lawyers have tried to crack this mystery with no success whatsoever. Although I tend to be skeptical about the veracity of the claims, the Swiss banks' track record in releasing dormant accounts is not whiter than white, which leads me to suspect that it could just be possible.

Those claiming to be descended from Jose Eugenio now run into hundreds of families... and the issue is stirred up every few years and then fizzles out again.

A question for Fabio - could one of these Swiss lawyers be persuaded to take on the case on a no-win no-fee basis? If there is so much money there there surely the promise of a fat percentage should be enough to motivate them?

If it ever comes to anything, of course, the drinks are on us.

Chiri

[jgrecke]

Originally posted by muzik2407
Well, in my family, they swear they are the "only" decendants. And you are correct, the banks & lawyers have requested certain documents. Again, my family swears they have "it". Also, years ago the only rightful heirs are those with the guzman name and with a mystery surname. Again, my family swears they are the heirs to both last names. But yesteday as I understand it, there was a spanish tv report. It was reported that all guzmans will have an equal share and that the trustees have 60 days make a formal announcement. So yes, its an interesting story that hopefully my generation will finally get some closure. Thanks for replying

Hi, my name is Jaritza Guiomar Martinez Grecke..My grandmother who is the last living niece of Jose Eugenio Guzman, is now 93 yrs old; she was born in September 15, 1910. She was the last to be born of 14 children. Her mother's name was Cinencia Guzman; her mother was the sister of Jose Eugenio Guzman. My grandmother knew Jose Eugenio Guzman; who was her uncle. He would always write letters to her; since she didn't know how to read. Her uncle Jose E Guzman would send the letters to his brother Anastafio Guzman so he would read the letters to my grandmother Porfiria Guzman. All her family were from La Romana de San Pedro de Macoris. My grandmother could tell you almost everything you would want to know about her Uncle Jose Eugenio Guzman and the rest of the family.. This is my grandmother's telephone number in the Dominican Republic 1 (809) 599-4616

[Leslie]

Hello to All,

I was wandering if any one can inform me regarding the Jose Guzman inheritance, being also that my family decents from him as well. I, was vacationing in Miami when it aired the international formal announcement. So, I missed out on any important information they were requesting to the decendents.

My, family recalls when their grandparents dating back some 60 yrs, to claim the money then. We, are both from the cibao region and have some what of a direct line to el baron de la atalya. If anyone can please respond with futher information. Thanks!

Leslie