Silicon Valley: A gay woman who claims she was both the daughter and "wife" of one of the daughters of IBM founder Thomas J Watson Jr is fighting for a share of his fortune.
According to court records, Patricia Spado was the domestic partner of IBM heiress Olive Watson for more than 10 years until 1992, when the couple split, online publication Information Week reported on Thursday.
Before the breakup, in 1991, Watson legally adopted Spado in Maine in order to circumvent anti-gay marriage state laws and ensure that she would be financially secure.
A letter from Spado's lawyer sent to the trustees explained the couple sought the adoption "so that Patricia would become Olive's issue for the purpose of the Watson family inheritance and trusts."
At the time, Spado was 44 years old and Olive Watson was 43. When they split, Spado received approximately $ 5,00,000 from Watson. Still, she sent a letter to the trustees in January, 2005, advising them she was Watson's legally adopted granddaughter and wanted a share of the trusts.
However, the elder Watson's 18 grandchildren are contesting Spado's claim to a share in a family trust reportedly worth millions of dollars.
In a Connecticut court they argued that Thomas Watson had earmarked the trust fund for children born to his children.
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