How much money Lyle and Erik Menendez inherited from the death of their parents (and how much it is today)

The following contains spoilers for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez StoryNow streaming on Netflix

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Dramatizes the infamous Mendez murders and highlights how quickly the brothers liquidated a massive fortune they left behind. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the second season of their true-crime anthology series Monster Explores the story of Lila and Eric, the children of a rich and powerful executive in Los Angeles. Initially staging their murder of their parents as an attack, the brothers soon found themselves in court, defending their actions by claiming self-defense against a lifetime of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

At the end of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez StoryThe brothers were arrested and lost much of their property. This reflects their fortunes in real life, which shifted dramatically in the months following the death of their parents. The inspiration behind Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez StoryHis characters caught the attention of the authorities in part Due to their spending habitsAnd debts continued only after they were arrested. Here’s how much the Mendez brothers spent from their massive family fortune, and how much it would be worth today.

Lyle & Erik Menendez inherited $2 million after taxes, attorney fees and loans

The Menendez brothers spent much of their fortune in little time

The titular brothers of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Ended up claiming only $2 million each of their originally $14 million dollar inheritance. José and Kitty are incredibly wealthy, thanks to their former jobs at companies like Hertz Global Holdings, RCA Records and Live Entertainment. Lyke & Erik’s inheritance from their father’s estate after their death was over $14 million, according to reporting by city ​​ad country. However, the brothers would only have access to it for a year before they were arrested in 1990. Then they spent much of their collective fortune On taxes, debts and legal fees.

Despite initially going on a spending spree with their fortune, the Menendez brothers were soon faced with daunting amounts of debt such as house mortgages and IRS payments. After they were arrested, more of their money went to lawyers like Laurie Abramson to argue in their defense. The Menendez brothers even sold their home in 1991 at a loss of nearly $1.2 millionAll just to pay off other debts. In 1994, Lyle and Eric forfeited approximately $10.8 million of their inheritance, leaving them both with closer to $2 million during much of their highly publicized trials.

The legacy of Lyle & Erik Menendez is equivalent to over $5 million today

The Menendez fortune was massive

As described in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez StoryThe main argument that the brothers used to defend themselves was a deep fear for their safety. Claiming that their parents had been emotionally and sexually abusive for years, the defense of Lila and Eric relied on the jury believing that they were acting in self-defense. The prosecution instead focused heavily on the monetary gain The brothers suffered as a result of the murders, citing this as the main motivation for their crimes. Given the sheer size of the Mendez fortune, it’s not a unreasonable assumption to make.

Jose and Kitty amassed a sizable fortune worth over $14 million in 1989, including multiple properties. By using inflation as a comparison point, That would be the equivalent of $36.8 million At the time of this writing. It is really a weak amount of money, and their quick spending after the death of their parents was a big suspicion behind their arrest. As a result, even the eventual fraction they had left in 1994 is the equivalent of over $5 million today.

How much of their inheritance Lyle & Erik spent before they got caught

Lyle & Erik spent a lot of money in the months after their murders

One of the main reasons Lyle and Erik were suspected of foul play by the police was due to their extravagant spending following the crime. Erik and Lyle reportedly spent around $700,000 in monthsAll among their murderers and subsequent arrests. Erik, an aspiring pro tennis player, hired a full-time coach and sponsored his own participation in several tournaments. Lyle bought small businesses and made luxury purchases like fancy watches, all while racking up gambling debts.

At the rate of inflation, Lyle and Erik Menendez spent the modern equivalent of $1.8 million of their fortune in the months following the death of their parents. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Explore the darker allegations and elements of the case, delving into the monetary gain and vengeful motivations behind Erik and Lyle killing their parents. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is a brutal show that reflects the different arguments offered in the real-life case that captured the vivid attention of the world over three decades ago.

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