A Nevada commissioner has ruled against Rupert Murdoch's attempt to alter his family trust in favor of his eldest son, preserving equal control of his media empire among his four children.
Rupert Murdoch, 93, sought to amend the irrevocable family trust established in 2006, aiming to consolidate control under Lachlan Murdoch, head of Fox News and News Corp.
Murdoch's plan was driven by a desire to ensure the political alignment of his outlets posthumously, as his other children—James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—are seen as less ideologically aligned, the New York Times reported.
This attempt sparked a family feud reminiscent of an episode of HBO's "Succession," which ironically influenced strategy discussions among his heirs.
On December 9, Probate Commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr. ruled that Murdoch and Lachlan had acted in "bad faith," describing their effort as a "carefully crafted charade" to entrench Lachlan's control.
The court found that their motives were not in the best interest of all beneficiaries and criticized the lack of transparency in their maneuvers. The ruling maintains equal voting power for James, Elisabeth, and Prudence, thwarting Lachlan's consolidation of authority.
While the commissioner's decision marks a critical victory for Murdoch's other children, it is not the final resolution. A district judge must either ratify or reject the recommendation, and an appeal is likely.
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