It has been another epic year for characters Stan Lee helped create, with Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War earning more than $3 billion (Dh11 billion) combined globally and Ant-Man and the Wasp still to open later this week, all three featuring the clever cameos beloved by devoted fans of the Marvel Comics mastermind.
But for Lee himself, the past year has been tough and tumultuous. After the death last July of Joan, his wife of 69 years and partner in all things, the 95-year-old has found himself in the middle of a fight over his finances and legacy that has led to lawsuits, a restraining order and a police investigation of elder abuse.
His exact circumstances may be unique, but Lee's status as a celebrity in declining mental health and vulnerable to exploitation has many precedents and may become increasingly common as a wave of wealthy baby boomers reaches old age.
Into the void left behind by Joan Lee poured many acquaintances seeking a part of her popular and accommodating husband, and holdings his lawyer estimates are worth between $50 million to $70 million.
'Bad actors with bad intentions'
Probate attorney Troy Martin, who has worked on the cases of many late-in-life celebrities, including Casey Kasem, said Lee's circumstances made him a compelling target.
"He's going through the grief of a wife he relied upon. He's always had the reputation for being a people pleaser, and you add his grief to, at 95, some cognitive difficulties, it makes him vulnerable," said Martin, who is not involved in Lee's case.
Key to Lee's situation is his only child, 68-year-old Joan Celia "JC" Lee, who has been dependent her entire life on her father, according to a sworn declaration signed by Lee in February that was drafted by attorney Tom Lallas.
Several "bad actors with bad intentions ... have insinuated themselves into relationships with JC ... to try to take advantage of me to gain control of my assets, property and money," the declaration said.
Lallas was fired after drafting the declaration, and many of Lee's longtime employees have been dismissed, according to a February story in The Hollywood Reporter.
One of the "bad actors" named in the document, Keya Morgan, a memorabilia dealer and Marilyn Monroe aficionado, appeared to gain control over Lee's life and affairs for the next several months. Morgan has vehemently denied that he has had any intentions other than helping Lee.
During that time, two lawsuits were filed seeking millions from Lee's past business partners.
On May 30, Morgan left Lee's side briefly and returned to find that he was shut out as detectives and a social worker interviewed Lee to investigate elder abuse.
Morgan called 911 to report the authorities as burglars, which led to his arrest and jailing on suspicion of reporting a false emergency.
Lallas returned and was granted an elder abuse restraining order against Morgan June 13. He wrote in the filing that Lee has shown severe impairment with his hearing, vision, short-term memory and judgment.
Late-in-life limbo
It's unclear who currently surrounds Lee and is managing his affairs. A series of court hearings for Morgan next week on the false emergency charges, a probation violation on an unrelated case that his arrest triggered, and the restraining order, may bring clarity.
Morgan, 42, did not respond to multiple emails seeking comment, and his cell phone has not been accepting messages for weeks.
But shortly after the restraining order, he tweeted:
Lallas and a lawyer representing JC Lee did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Morgan's restraining order does not allege he engaged in physical abuse of Lee, but that he isolated him from associates, friends and relatives, which is considered a form of elder abuse.
"Isolation is the No. 1 red flag for abuse," said Kerri Kasem, who has become an advocate for the elderly and their adult children after having to fight to see her father, Casey Kasem, before his 2014 death. "Because when you take your victim and you isolate them, you can then abuse them physically, financially, emotionally, sexually."
Lee finds himself in a late-in-life limbo that other celebrities, including Mickey Rooney and Peter Falk, have faced.
Lee's status as a celebrity in declining mental health and vulnerable to exploitation has many precedents and may become increasingly common.
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A conservatorship, giving a trusted person court-enforced control over his financial affairs, could be the next step.
While conservatorships can be abused it can be "a very necessary tool to protect somebody in his situation," Martin said.
The fight over Lee may well be a forerunner to a big wave of similar battles to come as old age and decline arrives for baby boomers with huge entertainment holdings, including intellectual property that could pay off for decades, said Kenneth J. Abdo, another lawyer who works on entertainment estates, including Prince's.
"Stan Lee's a little older than a baby boomer, but culturally he's a baby boomer," Abdo said. "What we're learning here is that our generation, our culture, is passing on. As much as we think we're all bulletproof, we're moving on. These things need to be planned."
None of the turmoil has kept Lee from making another of his signature cameos in the latest Marvel movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
In it, Lee is thrown for a loop during an action sequence. Bewildered, he says, "Well, the '60s were fun but now I'm paying for it."
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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