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ONE of the most generous secret millionaires and founder of taxi firm Addison Lee has been taken to court by his benefit claiming “baby” brother in a row over £15,000 from their mother's inheritance.
John Griffin, 68, of The Avenue, Potters Bar, is accused by his brother Michael, 53, of Boleyn Way, New Barnet, of witholding the cash after selling the semi-detached property in 2004.
However, John, worth a reported £50m, says he paid the cash to two other siblings, but not Michael, because he was concerned he may be “mixed up in drugs”.
John, who founded the taxi firm in the 1970s gave away £155,000 on the Channel 4 show when he appeared last December, the fourth highest amount in the show's history.
The row broke out five years after the death of their mother, who left the home to be split equally to her five children in 1998.
However, one sister Eileen had recently gone bankrupt and was living in the house, so to aid the splitting of the asset all siblings signed a deed of change, with John giving them £19,200 each.
The property was valued at £120,000, a price Michael says was at least £40,000 below market value, with a clause to split any profits if the house was sold within years.
The house was not sold until 2004, after Eileen had finally been evicted by the trustees of her bankruptcy, with John giving the other two siblings £15,000 from the sale, but not Michael.
The struggling actor and singer told Central London County Court the move was “vengeful, nasty, spiteful thing to do”, adding: “There's been a massive tear in our family.
“It's signified by John's inability to consider or pay put what I believe to be my share of my mother's estate.
“My brother has a great resentment towards me and this is clearly suggested by his lack of willingness to help me in my life and the fact he has spent more money on solicitors and legal representatives than he even owes me.”
The relationship between the pair was more “father and son” than brotherly Michael told the court, and John would often “make me do lines” if he was unhappy at his homework.
He added he found John “unapproachable”, he was “only interested in himself” and that he had been”close to suicide” in manic bouts of bipolar disorder he suffers from because of the problems.
When accepting the cash, he said John had given him a note with the lyrics of the Beatles song Money, reading “The best things in life are free, but you can save them for the birds and the bees,” something he took exception to.
He added he only signed the deed after being “persuaded” to by his sister, to keep family peace.
In his evidence John accused Michael of coming “desperate” for the money in April 1998 to help buy a flat he had wanted in Felixstowe, something Michael told the court he had considered.
To help him, John said he made the original amount up to £20,000 because “Michael seemed to be doing something sensible” which he encouraged.
But Michael did not buy the house and John claimed to have heard from “mutual friends” he had become mixed up in drugs, which he denied, which made him worry about giving him the extra cash and asked him to account for the original £20,000 which Michael refused to do.
Under heated cross examination from his brother John said: “I'm not a fan of your activities across the board. I'm not a fan of people do not ever work. I'm a hard working person.
“What I find in you is a million miles away from where I stand.”
He added: “I have no legal obligation to give you any extra money, I'm doing it as an act of largesse. I think this reasonably reflects my late mother's intentions in handing out her will.
“Life's not about handouts and freebies. Until you have met my requirements I will not pay you any money.”
The case continues.
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