Since the creation of the Kalamitsi Foundation in 1979/80 (possibly under another name), its management has been in the hands of Industrie und Finanzkontor Etablissement (Vaduz), without any independent oversight.

Despite her decades of loyal service, Philippa’s housekeeper in Monte Carlo, Eden Nylen, was not properly cared for after Philippa’s death. Her sworn declaration speaks for itself:

*“Seven to ten days after Miss Philippa’s death, Peter Seilern Jr. telephoned me to say that he and his wife were coming to see the apartment. On that Tuesday, I showed them around, as it was their first visit. After the funeral in Lagos, they came again, this time with Mr. Seilern Sr. (Boy).

PS Jr. asked me how many keys I had of the apartment, and I explained that the apartment had 2 keys as it was constructed from 2 apartments which were turned into one.

He tried to take the keys from me and when I refused, PS Jr.  said  "She is dead we are now taking over."  His response was without compassion, considering my loyalty to the family and the consequences for my being made redundant."

peterseilernJR

PS Jr. asked how many keys I had. I explained that the apartment had two, as it was originally two apartments combined into one. He tried to take them from me. When I refused, he said, ‘She is dead—we are now taking over.’ His response was without compassion, given my long loyalty to the family and the personal consequences for me.

Later, when I told him that I had called Mr. Seilern Sr. the day after Philippa died, PS Jr. became annoyed and said: ‘You have nothing to do with this.’ When I refused to hand over the keys, I told him: ‘You are not my employer.’

On Wednesday, 7 February 2018, he called again: ‘I am coming anyway to take the keys, as tomorrow my wife and I are inspecting the apartment alone without you.’ To avoid confrontation, I did not return the next day.

edennylem

Shortly thereafter, I was summoned to the notary’s office (Me. Henry Rey) in Monte Carlo, where I was asked to return the keys, accept a one-time payment of €50,000 under Philippa’s Will, and denied further access. After 35 years of service (1983–2018), I was dismissed at age 67—without thanks, assistance, or even a token of remembrance.”*

Eden’s income collapsed, forcing her to live on less than €10 a day. When I learned of this in March 2022, I arranged for €2,000 to be transferred monthly to her account. She told me in tears: “They were my family. I worked 35 years for them, and now I am told to go away.”

This treatment grossly misrepresented Philippa’s relationship with her staff. Eden was not merely an employee; she was Philippa’s companion and support during difficult years.

Meanwhile, questions arose regarding the management of Philippa’s estate. For example, when Constantin Hohenlohe telephoned his cousin Francis Seilern for clarification, he was told: “I don’t know anything. I haven’t followed the matter for years.” This statement was demonstrably untrue: Francis resigned from Gasenza Trust reg. on 23 March 2018, shortly after Philippa’s death (see p. 75).

Although both Boy (FC Seilern) and PS Jr. lived in Monte Carlo, neither maintained contact with Philippa during her final years. Yet immediately after her passing, they visited her apartment—PS Jr. on three occasions—and took possession of the keys. Their motives and authority remain unclear.

 

Probable Course of Events

The facts suggest the following sequence:

  1. Philippa’s estate was transferred into a foundation many years ago, possibly without her full understanding of the consequences.
  2. The Monte Carlo and Lagos properties, though legally part of the foundation, were used exclusively by Philippa as if they were her own.
  3. Her personal possessions—jewelry, furniture, and similar items—remained outside the foundation and were disposed of through her Will.
  4. In poor health, isolated, and lacking independent counsel, Philippa may have signed documents she did not fully understand.
  5. It is likely that she intended to provide for her staff and the charities she supported through the foundation. Yet her Will curiously left €100,000 to Eden’s niece, while Eden herself received half that amount. This inconsistency raises serious questions.
  6. Mr. Blöchlinger’s visit to Monte Carlo in early 2017 may have been connected to modifications of the foundation’s statutes or by-statutes. Eden recalls witnessing Philippa signing several documents without being aware of their contents.

Conclusion

Having become increasingly reclusive after the deaths of her parents, Philippa was vulnerable. Her estate—estimated between €10 and €20 million—should have been distributed in accordance with her wishes, not reshaped by foundation statutes redefined in her final years.

This matter may not stem from conflict with Liechtenstein foundation law itself, but rather from decisions taken within Industrie und Finanzkontor Etablissement shortly before Philippa’s death.

More than four years have now passed, and no clarity has been provided. As Philippa’s first cousin, I would ordinarily have been informed about the outcome of her estate. Yet to my knowledge, no member of the family or intended beneficiary has received anything.

The central question remains: What became of Philippa’s estate?

I have endeavored to keep this matter private. My letters to Boy (23 February 2018 and 9 April 2018), his response (21 April 2018), and my letter to Franz Tassilo (8 November 2018) all stressed discretion and my wish for the matter to be resolved within the family. In one letter, I wrote: “I am, however, willing to concede that you and your brother made a terrible mistake of judgment and forget the matter once it is properly taken care of.”

Discretion, however, cannot excuse the violation of Philippa’s wishes, nor the treatment of Eden, who was dismissed without compassion after 35 years of service and left destitute.

An appropriate long-term solution must be found.

 

 

 Previous : Questions that remain unanswered |  Next: Epilogue

For over forty years, close family members—both within and outside Industrie und Finanzkontor Etablissement—have exercised control over the foundation established by Uncle Mani and Philippa. Since Philippa’s death, they have declined to explain how the assets held in her foundation were ultimately disposed of.

Ordinarily, such assets would have been inherited by, or directed toward:

  • her immediate family,
  • her long-serving staff of more than thirty years, or
  • charitable organizations.

Notarized declarations indicate that Philippa had clear intentions for the distribution of her estate. Yet nothing has come to light, leading to the suspicion that Liechtenstein law may have permitted the disposal of her estate in a manner contrary to her wishes.

There is no direct proof. But there is sufficient factual evidence to warrant serious questions.

A. Questions involving Philippa’s foundation to which Industrie & Finanzkontor will provide no information:
  1. E. Blöchlinger (Mitglied der Geschäftsleitung, Industrie u. Finanzkontor Etablissement) met with Philippa in Monte Carlo for her to sign a series of documents.

Apart from housekeeper Eden Nylen (Philippa’s Monte Carlo housekeeper) no other person was present to help or advise Philippa.  Questions regarding this meeting are as follows:

  • What was the purpose of the meeting?
  • Did the documents replace previous Statutes and By-statutes?  For what reason?
  • If so, what instructions did the pre-2017 documents contain?  Why the change?
  • Did Philippa unwittingly sign without understanding the consequences?
  1. During the meeting, Eden overheard Philippa give her (Eden’s) IBAN number to Mr Blöchlinger.  Why would Industrie und Finanzkontor Etablissement need Eden Nylen’s IBAN?  The reason is to be found in a conversation Eden had with Philippa (p.19):
  2. " Miss Philippa asked me "What will you do after my death?"  I was so surprised by her question that I answered  "I never think of that. As long as you are here, I have work and I can survive".  Then Miss P asked me  "If you go back to the Philippines, how much would you need to build yourself a home?"  Then I answered  "Euro 100 - 200'000".  Miss P replied  " Is that all?"  I said jokingly "YES".In her Monte Carlo Will, Philippa left Eden €50'000 and a further €100’000 to Eden’s niece Marie-Angela Domdom.

Why did Eden’s niece, who had another job and did not work for Philippa, receive twice what Eden got?

Most probably because Philippa intended to leave a much larger sum to Eden but did not have enough funds in her MC account.  She therefore instructed Mr. Blöchlinger to act accordingly through her Liechtenstein foundation.

Five years after Philippa’s death, Eden still has not received a penny.

 

  1. Why was housekeeper Eden Nylen instructed by Philippa to call PS Sr. and only PS Sr. if something happened to her?  Was PS Sr. mentioned in any of the previous Statutens or By-Statutes of her Foundation?  Did Philippa want him to administer or oversee the disposal of her estate?
  2. Why did Francis Seilern and E. Blöchlinger resign as directors of Gasenza Trust reg. on the 26th March 2018, a month after Philippa died, only to be replaced by Mr Marc Peter Zahn, another Industrie und Finanzkontor Etabl. employee?
  3. Was Philippa’s foundation ever subject to third-party oversight?  Was Philippa ever advised by anybody other than Industrie u. Finanzkontor Etablissement?
  4. Why was Philippa’s estate hidden behind these foundations and trusts when it was unnecessary in view of her Monte Carlo residence?
  5. Utility bills of the MC apartment are addressed to Gasenza Trust reg. a Liechtenstein-based trust founded in 1964, has a bisnode ID of 1982859 and the following correspondence address:

c/o Industrial and Financial Accountability

Herrengasse 21, 9490, Vaduz

(same address as   Industrie u. Finanzkontor Etabl.)

  1. Over the years there was a regular flow of funds between the Philippa and the Gasenza Trust Reg. accounts at Banque J. Safra Sarasin (Monaco) SA (page 67).  These included payments to the Industrie und Finanzkontor Etabl. as well as the Liechtensteinische Steuerverwaltung, both in Vaduz.  Needs to be explained.
  2. Eden remembers a letter being deposited with the Bank Director (Mr David Custdin, J. Safra Sarasin SA, Monaco) before Philippa’s final journey to Lagos in 2017.  Reasons?
  3. Eden says Philippa delivered a letter to Maître Rey’s secretary (date needs to be checked with Danny Cabellon).  Contents?
  4. The MC apartment belongs to whom?  See page 75-77 – Philippa is described as “Ayant Droit Economique”  -  “heritage” and “Patrimoine Familiale” are mentioned.  Maybe it should be part of her MC Will?
Lagos
  1. Rakuira Ltd apparently owns the property in Lagos.  The company was incorporated in Delaware, USA, on the 8th of August 2013 Corporation number 5380356.
  2. Why incorporate a Portuguese summer home in Delaware?
  3. What is the purpose of Portimo Trust?
B. Questions not related to Philippa’s foundation.
  1. Why did Philippa instruct Eden to only contact PS Sr. in case something happened to her?  “ .... Do not tell anyone from my Monaco family " (p.7)
  2. Why did Francis’ father call PS Sr. to describe Philippa’s Monte Carlo Will while omitting assets held in her foundation?
  3. For what reason did PS Jr. get angry when Eden told him that she had called PS Sr. the day after Philippa died as instructed? 
  4. FC Seilern (Boy) and son Peter (PS Jr.) both live in Monte Carlo but had no contact with Philippa.  Who authorized them to visit her apartment?  As she had just died, her personal affairs were under sequester.  Why did PS Jr. remove documents without authorisation?
  5. Apparently the 2 envelopes he removed were meant for housekeeper Eden and chauffeur Danny and contained instructions in case anything happened to her (she died in Lagos).  Needs to be explained.
  6. Visits to the MC apartment immediately after Philippa died:
  • PS Jr. and wife Caroline visited the first time a week after Philippa’s funeral.
  • They visited a second time a week later accompanied by Peter’s father.

During this second visit PS Jr. told Eden "She is dead we are now taking over."  Chauffeur Dany Cabellon was present and apparently cried during this exchange

It was also during this 2nd visit that PS Jr. took 2 envelopes which were kept in a drawer for easy access by Eden.  Why?

  • Peter and Caroline visited a third time alone having ordered Eden not to be present.  Why?
  • Were there any further visits?
  • What permission was granted to remove documents from the apartment?
  1. Why did Francis Seilern and Ernst Blöchlinger resign from Gasenza Trust) on March 21, 2018, two months after Philippa died?
  2. Who ordered the MC notary (Me H. Rey) to take the keys away from Eden?  Who was the English-speaking individual PS Jr. called so that Eden would give up the keys (she refused)?
  3. Why was Eden refused further access to the apartment?

 

  Previous : Register of payments to Eden Nylen (2019 - ) |  Next: Afterthoughts

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