An unexpected twist has emerged in the case of Joseph Stancak, a reclusive 87-year-old man in Chicago who passed away in 2016, leaving behind an $11 million estate.

According to Daily Mail, a judge has dismissed an appeal to void Stancak's recently uncovered will, which bequeaths his fortune to an inactive daycare company.

Wealth of Late Chicago Man to Go to an Inactive Daycare

Cook County Judge Daniel Tiernan ruled Thursday in favor of the will's validity after hearing testimonies from Mansoor Afzal and Asad Mahmood, who witnessed Joseph Stancak signing the will in a New York real estate office in 2015.

Both men affirmed that Stancak signed the document in their presence, meeting the legal requirements for its acceptance. This decision paves the way for a legal contest between Stancak's 119 distant relatives, who wanted the fortune to be divided among them.

 Stancak's unclaimed wealth, which includes $21,000 in two checking accounts and a vast portfolio of mutual funds or individual securities totaling more than $11 million, is the largest unclaimed estate in US history due to the lack of an obvious will.

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Over 100 Relatives of the Chicago Man Set to Receive $100,000 Payouts

Following Joseph Stancak's death, state officials located over 100 of his relatives across the US and Europe, each initially poised to receive $100,000.

However, the emergence of the will, which named Smart Kids Child Care Inc. and the New York company's president, Asad Mahmood, as beneficiaries, has complicated the inheritance process and led to an ongoing legal battle.

According to Mahmood, the will was only found late last year in Stancak's home while cleaning for a move. The will was presented in court after a petition was filed in June 2023 asking the judge to accept the newly turned-up will.

Daniel Tiernan has approved the will to be admitted into evidence despite many of the heirs accusing Mahmood of forging the will.

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