John Donovan hoped his fortune would create a legacy. But it tore his family apart.
After amassing a fortune of $100 million, was John Donovan shot in a plot by his son James, a money manager at Goldman Sachs, or did father John stage the crime scene?
Estate of War (WSJ subscription required)
After examining forensic evidence and financial records -- and interviewing Mr. Donovan, his two ex-wives, his five children and Goldman officials -- prosecutors are investigating whether Mr. Donovan staged a crime scene to discredit his son James, whom he believed had masterminded a campaign by his children to take over his money and property, according to people interviewed by prosecutors.
The violent incident was the climax of a sordid feud that has torn apart the Donovan family and shaken Hamilton, Mass., a town of estates and horse trails north of Boston. Over the course of three years, what began as a dispute over tens of millions of dollars in trust funds has become an acrimonious battle featuring allegations of violent threats, betrayal, forgery and sexual abuse.
All that seems clear is that John Donovan lost his family and pretty much everything else.