April 15: The Queen of Mean

Real estate mogul and tax cheat Leona Helmsley (Lena Mindy Rosenthal) checked into prison on this date in 1992 after being found guilty of tax evasion and other crimes. Initially sentenced to 16 years, she serviced only 19 months and two under house arrest. She and her husband Harry Helmsley had built a New York real estate empire that included the Empire State Building (it was Leona who added colored illumination to the landmark building), Tudor City near the United Nations, and more than twenty luxury hotels. She was notorious, however, for being abusive to employees and for withholding or disputing payments to contractors. One of these disputes resulted in courtroom revelations that the couple was billing their hotel business for extravagant personal expenses. Harry suffered a stroke after charges were levied against them and was ruled unfit to stand trial; he died in 1997, leaving Leona his entire fortune, which she in turn left to a charitable trust meant to benefit dogs — including Trouble, her Maltese, who received $12 million, more than Leona left to her grandchildren.

“We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.” —Leona Helmsley