Former Dancer Granted $223,000 Inheritance From Late HBO Exec Micky Liu
By Ryan General
A court in Manhattan has upheld the claims of a former stripper to a six-figure inheritance left to her by a client– an HBO executive who died months after they bonded with an “everlasting friendship.”
IT director Micky Liu, who met 34-year-old Veronica Beckham at a strip club in 2014, named her beneficiary of his retirement accounts and life insurance policy — totalling $223,000. Liu’s family, however, challenged the inheritance in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court, accusing Beckham of coercion and manipulation.
According to the New York Post, Beckham instantly became friends with Liu after meeting him at the Atlantic City Scores strip club in July 2014. Liu was then already suffering from heart disease, diabetes, and chronic alcoholism. He would be found dead in his Manhattan apartment in March 2015.
Court documents revealed that the transfers were signed between October 2014 and January 2015, a time when Beckham and Liu were apparently no longer close friends. Liu named Beckham as the beneficiary of his 401(k) and retirement plan on October 21.
Court documents revealed that the transfers were signed between October 2014 and January 2015, a time when Beckham and Liu were apparently no longer close friends. Liu named Beckham as the beneficiary of his 401(k) and retirement plan on October 21.
“Sweet Veronica, there’s nothing in me that would ever say or do anything to intentionally hurt you,” he wrote Beckham in an email sent on October 24, 2014. “I love and care for you dearly. I wish you knew.”
He then made Beckham the beneficiary of his life insurance policy and IRA account in late January.
“I miss you,” an email from Liu dated Jan. 20, 2015 stated. “Why is it taking you so long to get your phone replaced? Money? Need some? I’m not used to not being able to contact you.”
While Beckham says it was their friendship that prompted Liu to name her the beneficiary of his money, Micky’s sister, May Liu, disagrees.
In her suit, the sister claims “Beckham, as a professional exotic dancer, was adept at applying and using coercion and manipulation upon men.”
She further alleged that Beckham “preyed upon Micky Liu’s vulnerability by exerting influence over him in the form of moral coercion.”
She further alleged that Beckham “preyed upon Micky Liu’s vulnerability by exerting influence over him in the form of moral coercion.”
Beckham, however, maintained that she never had a sexual relationship with Liu:
“We had more of an everlasting friendship,” she was quoted as saying during her deposition.
In her decision to grant Beckham her inheritance, presiding judge Rita Mella pointed out that only prior beneficiaries could sue for the funds.
On accusations that she was a gold digger, Beckham has this to say:
“None of the stuff about me enticing him into naming me as a beneficiary is true. I was very hurt by the lurid and untrue allegations.”
“None of the stuff about me enticing him into naming me as a beneficiary is true. I was very hurt by the lurid and untrue allegations.”
Beckham is now a Miami-based stylist for celebrity clients like rapper Flo Rida.
Feature image via MySpace / veronicabeckham
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