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| US property tycoon Helmsley dies | US property tycoon Helmsley dies |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| US property tycoon Leona Helmsley, who was famously quoted as saying "only the little people pay taxes", and was later jailed for tax evasion, has died at 87. | US property tycoon Leona Helmsley, who was famously quoted as saying "only the little people pay taxes", and was later jailed for tax evasion, has died at 87. |
| Mrs Helmsley died of heart failure at her summer home in Greenwich, Connecticut, her publicist said. | Mrs Helmsley died of heart failure at her summer home in Greenwich, Connecticut, her publicist said. |
| Mrs Helmsley and her late husband Harry had run a multi-billion dollar real estate business that included managing New York's Empire State Building. | Mrs Helmsley and her late husband Harry had run a multi-billion dollar real estate business that included managing New York's Empire State Building. |
| In 1992, she was convicted of tax evasion, spending 21 months in prison. | In 1992, she was convicted of tax evasion, spending 21 months in prison. |
| 'Great businesswoman' | 'Great businesswoman' |
| The Helmsleys - who also owned some of New York's finest hotels - were accused of listing personal purchases as business expenses. | The Helmsleys - who also owned some of New York's finest hotels - were accused of listing personal purchases as business expenses. |
| A judge ruled that Mr Helmsley was not mentally competent to stand trial, but Mrs Helmsley was convicted of evading $1.2m in taxes. | A judge ruled that Mr Helmsley was not mentally competent to stand trial, but Mrs Helmsley was convicted of evading $1.2m in taxes. |
| During the trial, Mrs Helmsley's former housekeeper famously testified that she had heard Mrs Helmsley say: "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." | During the trial, Mrs Helmsley's former housekeeper famously testified that she had heard Mrs Helmsley say: "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." |
| Mrs Helmsley denied ever saying that. | Mrs Helmsley denied ever saying that. |
| However, she was noted for her tough management style and became widely known in the US media as "the queen of mean". | However, she was noted for her tough management style and became widely known in the US media as "the queen of mean". |
| In announcing Mrs Helmsley's death, her publicist Howard Rubenstein said he was "very proud to represent her for so many years". | In announcing Mrs Helmsley's death, her publicist Howard Rubenstein said he was "very proud to represent her for so many years". |
| "Leona was a great businesswoman in her own right who created a tremendous brand and success with Helmsley Hotels and was a wonderful partner and wife to Harry Helmsley," he said. | "Leona was a great businesswoman in her own right who created a tremendous brand and success with Helmsley Hotels and was a wonderful partner and wife to Harry Helmsley," he said. |
| "She was extremely generous as a philanthropist and she gave tens of millions of dollars to charity right up until the last months of her life," Mr Rubenstein said. | "She was extremely generous as a philanthropist and she gave tens of millions of dollars to charity right up until the last months of her life," Mr Rubenstein said. |
| 'Magical life' | 'Magical life' |
| Mrs Helmsley was a former model and a twice-divorced real estate agent when she met Harry Helmsley, a multi-millionaire real estate investor. They married in 1972. | Mrs Helmsley was a former model and a twice-divorced real estate agent when she met Harry Helmsley, a multi-millionaire real estate investor. They married in 1972. |
| Mr Helmsley died in 1997, aged 87, leaving his wife his entire fortune. | Mr Helmsley died in 1997, aged 87, leaving his wife his entire fortune. |
| "My fairy tale is over. I lived a magical life with Harry," Mrs Helmsley said after his death. | "My fairy tale is over. I lived a magical life with Harry," Mrs Helmsley said after his death. |
| She is survived by her brother, four grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. | She is survived by her brother, four grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. |
| Forbes magazine ranked her the 369th richest person in the world this year, with an estimated fortune of $2.5bn (£1.25bn). |