Kogan George - The millionaires wife: the true story of a real estate tycoon, his beautiful young mistress, and a marriage that ended in m

Dear Reader:

The book you are about to read is the latest bestseller from the St. Martins True Crime Library, the imprint The New York Times calls the leader in true crime! Each month, we offer you a fascinating account of the latest, most sensational crime that has captured the national attention. St. Martins is the publisher of John Glatts riveting and horrifying SECRETS IN THE CELLAR, which shines a light on the man who shocked the world when it was revealed that he had kept his daughter locked in his hidden basement for 24 years. In the Edgar-nominated WRITTEN IN BLOOD, Diane Fanning looks at Michael Petersen, a Marine-turned-novelist found guilty of beating his wife to death and pushing her down the stairs of their homeonly to reveal another similar death from his past. In the book you now hold, THE MILLIONAIRES WIFE, Cathy Scott covers over 20 years of cold-case clues to detail a story of money and murder.

St. Martins True Crime Library gives you the stories behind the headlines. Our authors take you right to the scene of the crime and into the minds of the most notorious murderers to show you what really makes them tick. St. Martins True Crime Library paperbacks are better than the most terrifying thriller, because its all true! The next time you want a crackling good read, make sure its got the St. Martins True Crime Library logo on the spineyoull be up all night!

Charles E. Spicer, Jr.

Executive Editor, St. Martins True Crime Library

To the memory of my mother, author Eileen Rose-Busby, who I miss every day and who not only taught me, as a child, the joy of reading and writing, but also the value of researching.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1:

Chapter 2:

Chapter 3:

Chapter 4:

Chapter 5:

Chapter 6:

Chapter 7:

Chapter 8:

Chapter 9:

Chapter 10:

Chapter 11:

Chapter 12:

Chapter 13:

Chapter 14:

Chapter 15:

Chapter 16:

Chapter 17:

Chapter 18:

Chapter 19:

Chapter 20:

Chapter 21:

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This proved to be an especially challenging book to research and write as I wrestled up decades-old documents and records and sought out sources from New York to Puerto Rico. It could not have been done without the help of many.

Special gratitude goes out to St. Martins Paperbacks former editor Allison Strobel, editorial assistant April Osborn, and, particularly, executive editor Charles Spicer for their faith in me. Thanks also to my determined partner-in-crime, literary agent Susan Lee Cohen, for her steadfast support, advice, and friendship.

Big thanks to freelance book editor Deke Castleman for his invaluable input, crime writer E.W. Count for being my backup in New York City, fellow true crime author Kathryn Casey and artist/author Paulette Frankl for their second set of eyes on a draft of the manuscript, and author Sue Russell for her LexisNexis searches.

I thank the Kogan clan for background into their family dynamics and insight into the case, and I give them my condolences for their loss. Thanks as well to Nilda Martinez, whose undying devotion to her brother Manuel and belief in his innocence is commendable, and to Clarissa Barth, who is a true friend to Barbara Kogan. Special thanks to doorman Moses Crespo for physically walking me through the crime scene that unfolded before his eyes so many years ago.

I thank Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann for taking the time to talk to me, as well as defense attorneys Barry Levin, Lori Cohen and Jonathan Strauss, and appellate attorney Claudia Trupp.

For her analysis of the case, I thank crime writer and former Deputy District Attorney Robin Sax. Much thanks as well to graduate student Yoav Sivan for his generosity in sharing his research. Also, thanks to journalist Mitch Gelman for his recollections from his early reporting in the case.

A shout-out and thanks, as always, to my core family support: my twin sister Cordelia Mendoza, my big brother J. Michael Scott, and my son Raymond Somers Jr.

Lastly, I thank you, the many readers who have discovered my books. Your kind endorsements and recommendations to other readers are forever appreciated.

CHAPTER 1

A Cool Manhattan Morning

A light rain fell over Manhattan on a weekday morning like any other. But life can change on a dime, and thats exactly what happened as middle-aged business tycoon George Kogan hurried back to his ultra-chic Upper East Side apartment with a bag of groceries on each arm in anticipation of breakfasting at home with his young lover. The late morning of Tuesday, October 23, 1990, turned out to be anything but a typical day in the city.

On the busy sidewalk, George, whod recently celebrated his forty-ninth birthday, turned the corner onto East Sixty-ninth Street and headed toward his mid-block building, between Second and Third. As he hurried down the tree-lined street, he didnt notice anything unusual other than the cool morning temperature. He continued walking toward the canopied entrance to the co-op where hed lived for the last two years with Mary-Louise Hawkins, a twenty-eight-year-old rising star in the public relations world. Across the street, carpenters noisily worked on the new Trump Palace high-rise apartment building. A few blocks away, Central Park was alive with pedestrians, bicyclists, and joggers as they coursed through the parks major arteries to their destinations in New York City, where the drone of urban traffic awaited them. George enjoyed walking the neighborhood. Hed lose himself in the bustling sights and sounds of the city. And this day was no different.

Walking from the neighborhood Food Emporium, he looked forward to spending the late morning with Mary-Louise. Quiet breakfasts were how their relationship had moved from platonic to romantic, and they especially appreciated those moments. Plus, George was anxious to prepare for an afternoon meeting with his son, William, who was acting as mediator to nail down an agreeable divorce settlement with Georges estranged wife, Barbara, and bring to a conclusion the marriage that in essence had ended two years earlier.

As George headed home that morning, William telephoned his fathers apartment to confirm their afternoon appointment. Mary-Louise told him shed have George return the call when he arrived home from the store. George was optimistic about the settlement and finally getting the lengthy divorce behind him, so he and Mary-Louise could move on with their life together. Also uppermost in Georges mind was settling the divorce to help repair the damaged relationship hed had with William, who had sided with his mother after his parents separation.

As George continued his walk home, the usual cast of characters were out and aboutnannies pushing babies in strollers, residents leaving their high-rises to walk their dogs, business people hurrying to the subway entrance just steps away. George, distracted with the nagging thought of the afternoon meeting, quickened his pace when his limestone building came into view.

He lived in the heart of Manhattans Upper East Side, once called the Silk Stocking District, so named for the attire worn by the rich people who had once lived there. Long gone was the 19th-century farmland, as well as the market and garden districts that had peppered the area. Left were skyscrapers, rows of stylish townhouses, mansions, and the occasional walk-up apartment building.