No doubt it's crossed your mind over the years; just who inherited the fortune of iconic millionaire OG playboy, Hugh Hefner? Was it distributed to his children equally? Well, you'd be surprised to know that the fortune in question turned out to be not that much.
In September 2017, when Hugh Hefner passed away, many assumed he would leave behind a legacy of riches to his children and brand. But according to Fortune.com, Hefner's wealth only accumulated to $35 million.
In the peak of the '70s, Playboy Magazine was worth approximately $200 million. By the turn of the Millenium, Hefner's 70% stock of the Playboy brand was worth $399 million. However, by the time of his death, Hefner's ownership of the brand was down to 35%, having sold the other half due to dwindling print sales, and here's who inherited it!
Updated on May 11, 2021, by Michael Chaar: Hugh Hefner left behind a fortune to the tune of $35 million, a figure much less than many suspected. While it became public knowledge that his millions were to be distributed evenly amongst his wife, Crystal Hefner, and their four children, that isn't how others remember it. Well, Girls Next Door star, Holly Madison claimed otherwise. Madison revealed that she had found documents pertaining to Hugh's inheritance, and while it was meant to be distributed to his children, Holly claimed that the document listed her as a recipient of $3 million so long as she lived in the Playboy Mansion. Speaking of the Mansion, Daren Metropoulos remains the owner of the property and continues to stand by his promise that it shall never be altered.
So who inherited his money? Hefner's 3rd wife, Crystal Hefner, and his four children, Christie, David, Marson, and Cooper Hefner divided the money amongst themselves, with a catch, of course!
Known for his iron-clad wills (yes multiple!), Hefner dictated that any beneficiary of the trust will waive their rights to the money if there is evidence of substance abuse for a prolonged period, presumably in an attempt to stop the family from burning through the money.
Youngest of the four, Cooper Hefner was sworn in to continue the legacy of the Playboy brand as Chief Creative Officer.
Hef's kids have all gone on to start families of their own! As for Cooper, not only does he have his father's legacy to live up to when it comes to Playboy Enterprises, but he's only gone on to start a company of his own called Hop!
But what's to become of the Playboy mansion? It would seem that Mr. Hefner's very own neighbor, Dean Metropoulos placed a bid to own the property in 2016 to the tune of $100 million, with the agreement taking place years before Hefner died.
For those worried about the iconic architectural legacy of the house, Metropoulos reportedly coordinated with Los Angeles officials to ensure it's never demolished or altered.
It was later revealed that Holly Madison, a former Playmate, and Playboy Mansion resident, had allegedly found documents pertaining to where the inheritance would go. After looking over the documents, Madison claimed that they stated that after death tax, Hef's fortunes "would be divvied up starting with roughly 50 percent to his charitable foundation and the bulk of the remainder divided evenly between his four children: Christie, David, Marston, and Cooper."
But what happened to all those bunnies? Known to many as the fan-favorite of the 2005 reality show The Girls Next Door, Bridget Marquardt, while not technically a Playboy Playmate, she nonetheless made a name for herself on the show as an avid lover of, well, the chefs quarters in the basement.
Bunnies throwing pillow fights in the boudoir, Marquardt throwing pillow pasta with some pinot noir. Also a travel buff, beyond jetting out of the mansion, Bridget parlayed her success into the short-lived travel show Bridget's Sexiest Beaches.
Self-appointed ring-leader of the Girls of the Playboy mansion, Holly Madison was heir-apparent to Hef's fortune, whether she admitted it or not. In her memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole, Madison alluded that for her, it was never about the money.
However, there was no denying that during the space of the series Holly was dead-set on remaining as the top bunny. That determination was short-lived, with Madison breaking off the relationship in 2008, and leaving a glowing review of the experience as "Stockholm Syndrome".
When it came to Hef's inheritance, in addition to revealing what the documents laid by her bed stated, Holly also revealed that "$3 million would be bestowed to her at the time of Hef's death, "provided I still lived at the mansion." Madison said she did not want the money and was offended, writing, "Did he really think he could buy me?" which was reported E! Online.
Rounding out the infamous trio was Kendra Wilkinson. The self-described party girl Kendra became a house bunny and girlfriend to Hefner in 2008. According to Page Six when asked why she wanted to move into the mansion she said: “I was living in this small-ass apartment with this ugly-ass b****."
Ever the foil to Holly's more straight-laced corseted demeanor and Marquaudts comic Lefou, Kendra was the audience surrogate, appropriately so, being that she was only 18 when she moved in.
Despite these three bunnies being the most well known of LA's Watership Down, none of them managed to land the ever-elusive spot in the Hefner will, until Crystal. For years it was rumored that Hefner's fourth wife and billionth girlfriend would never procure her place in the family's trust, but detractors are damned because when the saga was all said and done, this Playmate was able to permanently pencil in the playdate.