Bernard Lafferty: The Billionaire Butler
3/9/202657 min
Born into staggering wealth, Doris Duke lived a life that dazzled the public and confounded those closest to her. She was pursued by society figures, fortune hunters, and even a dictator or two. But in her final years, the real drama unfolded behind closed doors. As Doris’s health declined, a bitter power struggle erupted for control of her fortune, her legacy and her trust. At the center of it all was her controversial butler, Bernard Lafferty, whose intense devotion to Doris raised as many questions as it answered – and whose relentless battle for her millions would end up cost...
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First 90 secondsSachi Cole· Host0:00
A heads up to our listeners, this episode describes instances of domestic violence. Please listen with care.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:06
[upbeat music] Wondering.
Sachi Cole· Host0:08
Sarah, are there any inheritances due to you in the next decade or two perhaps you'd like to share with the class?
Sarah Hagi· Host0:19
Um, I mean, I hope not 'cause that means someone would be dead.
Sachi Cole· Host0:24
But it doesn't have to be someone you like.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:26
I, I love anyone who would give me an inheritance.
Sachi Cole· Host0:28
Okay, well, I mean, I've asked my mom for her wedding rings despite being, you know, famously divorced, but I really think I could pull them off.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:36
Absolutely, you could.
Sachi Cole· Host0:37
I... Give me one.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:38
I'll think about it.
Sachi Cole· Host0:40
[laughs] Well, I ask because today's story is about a great fortune that ruined almost all of one woman's relationships, but made one man's life a lot more extravagant. It's April 1993, and Doris Duke is laying in bed in a private hospital suite in Beverly Hills. She's 80 years old, six feet tall, and weighs just 92 pounds, and Doris has really lived. She inherited a massive fortune at just 12 years old. She spent decades jetting around the world, palling around with people like scamfluencers alum Imelda Marcos, marrying international playboys, and capturing the attention of the tabloids. But now Doris is out of gas. She spent the last few years in and out of the hospital for various injuries, strokes, chronic anemia, and even depression.