Leona Helmsley

"Queen of Mean" redirects here. For other uses, see Queen of Mean (disambiguation).

Leona Helmsley
Helmsley in 1988
Born
Lena Mindy Rosenthal[1][2][3]

(1920-07-04)July 4, 1920
Marbletown, New York, U.S.
DiedAugust 20, 2007(2007-08-20) (aged 87)
Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Other namesLee Roberts[4]
Mindy Roberts[4]
Leni Roberts[4]
Lena Rosenthol[5][6][7]
EducationAbraham Lincoln High School
Occupation(s)Hotelier
Real estate investor
Spouses
Leo Panzirer
​
​
(m. 1938; div. 1952)​
Joseph Lubin
​
(twice divorced)​
​
​
(m. 1972; died 1997)​

Leona Roberts Helmsley (born Lena Mindy Rosenthal; July 4, 1920 – August 20, 2007) was an American businesswoman. After allegations of non-payment were made by contractors hired to improve Helmsley's Connecticut home, she was investigated and convicted of federal income tax evasion and other crimes in 1989. Although having initially received a sentence of 16 years, she was required to serve only 19 months in prison and two months under house arrest. During the trial, a former housekeeper testified that she had heard Helmsley say: "We don't pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes." This quote was identified with her for the rest of her life. Helmsley's flamboyant personality and reputation for tyrannical behavior earned her the nickname Queen of Mean.[8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stone New York was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kings Without Crowns was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference We Did What? was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Irish Times was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Leona Helmsley". The Times. August 21, 2007. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  6. ^ Trotta, Daniel (August 22, 2007). "The Press - Queen of Mean". The Press. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via PressReader.
  7. ^ "Leona Helmsley, the notorious Queen of Mean - From Lena to Leona". December 4, 2003. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYTObit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).