As the only child of the late Michael Hutchence, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence Geldof was supposed to inherit her father’s vast fortune when she celebrated her 21st birthday this July.
But the singer’s royalties, believed to be worth millions of dollars, never made their way to Tiger Lily.
Instead, as the ABC’s Four Corners report on the Paradise Papers on Monday night revealed, Hutchence’s estate and the rights to his music is controlled by his former lawyer, Colin Diamond.
Diamond has been outed as one of the many high-profile people who have been exploiting a secretive tax haven in the British Virgin Islands.
The lawyer first began working with Michael in the ’80s, when the rockstar started investing his assets in complex offshore trusts to dodge hefty tax bills.
According to the Four Corners investigation, Tiger Lily has only received a fraction of her father’s money.
The 21-year-old, who was adopted by her mother Paula Yates’ ex-husband Sir Bob Geldof, refused to comment on the claims.
WATCH: Four Corners explain how Michael Hutchence’s memory has been exploited on the 20th anniversary of his death. Post continues…
However Michael’s brother Rhett Hutchence explained to Four Corners that Diamond exploited his brother’s assets immediately after his death in Sydney in November, 1997.
“Two days after Michael died, Colin Diamond went into the Rose Bay Police Station, acting as Michael’s attorney, and took hold of all of Michael’s possessions that he had with him in Australia,” Rhett told the program.
“He kindly left the belt that Michael used [to kill himself] for my father to pick up. My father was — I mean, the whole family was completely shocked that he had actually taken all this stuff. That should have been part of the estate. It’s the family stuff.”
“I think it’s about time we had a platform and told what’s been going on, because it’s, it’s injustice, you know? What has happened is injustice,” Rhett concluded.
Tiger Lily, pictured with mother Paula Yates and Michael, has reportedly only received a fraction of her inheritance.
Four Corners also revealed Diamond set up a tax haven venture in Mauritius in 2015 under the name of Helipad Plain, with intention to cash in on the 20th anniversary of Michael Hutchence’s death.
In the leaked documents, Helipad Plain confirm their mission is the “commercial exploitation of the sound recordings, images, films and related materials embodying the performance of Michael Hutchence.”
Rhett alleges his late brother wanted his fortune to be divvied up among his loved ones, with 50% going to Tiger.
Four Corners also question how Colin came to be the sole beneficiary of Michael’s estate and why he has held onto so many of his personal possessions, including his diary and guitar.
Tiger Lily is now 21 years old and living in London with her adoptive father Sir Bob Geldof.
Diamond was one of the key figures in Channel 7’s recent documentary, Michael Hutchence: The Last Rockstar, and it was here that he finally unearthed Michael’s diary for the first time ever.
“I have held on to it for Tiger for many years,” he said in the docco.
More than 127 well-known names including Queen Elizabeth, Bono, Lewis Hamilton and Madonna have been listed in the Paradise Papers leaks.
Rhett Hutchence doesn’t believe Diamond should be in control of Michael’s estate.
