How To Be Jobless and Famous Rich

Jobless truckie AMH inherits unknown father's estate worth $350,000

AN UNEMPLOYED truck driver has been named sole heir of the father he never knew existed - a businessman and secret society member - and will inherit his $350,000 estate.

He grew up believing he was one of his parent's three children, but he was really the product of his mother's torrid affair with a member of an ancient secret society.

Today the unemployed Adelaide truck driver is $350,000 richer because the Supreme Court has named him the sole heir of his true father - a man he never knew existed.

The driver, known only as AMH, has won a lawsuit he began after his mother learned of his real father's death.

She then revealed the shameful truth she had hidden for 50 years - tearing her family apart.

In documents obtained by adelaidenow, Justice Kevin Nicholson says that painful confession, supported by tests showing AMH's genes are different to the brothers he grew up with, prove his paternity.

AMH now stands to inherit the lucrative estate bequeathed to his real father's niece, who had disputed his claims in court.

In the documents, Justice Nicholson says AMH's mother, Mrs H, was a trainee nurse in the 1950s.

It was then she met his true father, Mr M.

"Mr M was a member of the Rosicrucian society and he would often attend her house with Rosicrucian books," he says.

Rosicrusianism is a secret society believed to have been founded in medieval Germany.

Its teachings embrace philosophy and mysticism to promote global spiritual enlightenment.

Although they were both married, Mr M and Mrs H began a sexual relationship in 1967.

They would meet for sex once a week at lunchtime - Justice Nicholson says AMH was conceived during one of those trysts.

"Mrs H's memory of this was vivid because the timing caused her to feel extremely ashamed," he says.

"It was two days after her wedding anniversary and one day prior to her husband's birthday.

"She felt terrible shame in having engaged in an extra-marital affair... and particularly so given that she fell pregnant."

He says Mrs H's "introverted, largely platonic" husband never doubted AMH was his child.

Mr M, however, knew the truth.

"He never denied it... indeed he was very happy and said he was proud to have a son," he says.

Mr M's wife filed for divorce in the early 1970s, naming Mrs H as his mistress.

Mrs H swore a false affidavit insisting there was no relationship.

Justice Nicholson says Mr M and Mrs H last saw each other in 1974.

"He asked her to leave her family and run off with him," he says.

"Mrs H refused and told him that he should go back to Mrs M... she never saw him again."

Mrs H and her unwitting husband raised AMH with their children - two sons and a daughter - until his death in 1994.

Mr M died interstate in 2009 without having had other children.

Under the terms of his will, his niece was appointed administrator of his estate.

Mrs H learned of Mr M's passing by reading a newspaper death notice.

She then told AMH and his half-siblings the truth.

"She decided to do this because she had a terrible feeling of grief and a feeling that she had lost the opportunity to get them back together," Justice Nicholson says.

"She also wondered if Mr M left anything for AMH because he knew he was his son."

AMH subsequently underwent a DNA paternity test - the documents do not indicate whether this was ordered by the court.

It showed AMH's genetic profile was different to that of his brothers.

"This revelation came as a complete shock to AMH," Justice Nicholson says.

"He had never had any previous indication that his mother's husband was not his father.

"As a result of this, Mrs H experienced some problems in her family... her daughter thought it was something terrible and never got over it."

The case went to court because Mr M's niece disputed AMH's claim.

However, she said she would concede the estate if a court declared him to be Mr M's son.

In his final ruling, Justice Nicholson says AMH is entitled to his birth father's estate, and orders the niece to surrender it.

He also pays tribute to Mrs H's courage.

"I have little doubt at all that, as time passed, Mrs H became more and more anxious and ashamed about the affair," he said.

"She was rightly concerned about the reactions of her children and, in my view, acted bravely in telling AMH and her other children about these events that took place so very long ago."

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