Mystery will may reveal Zappos founder’s final wishes

According to the WSJ, a recently discovered will suggests late Zappos co-founder Tony Hsieh had concrete plans for his fortune despite previous beliefs that he died without leaving instructions for an estate that’s estimated to be worth $1.2 billion.

Among other things, the document, signed in 2015 and included in a recent court filing, contains a striking no-contest clause directed at Hsieh’s family: if any of his four family members challenges his wishes, all will receive nothing. The will also allocates over $50 million and several Las Vegas properties to undisclosed trusts tied to recipients he aimed to surprise.

Notably, Hsieh also earmarked $3 million for his alma mater Harvard University, the storied institution that’s currently battling with the Trump administration, which has frozen billions of dollars in federal funding and is reportedly giving Harvard’s endowment a closer look.

The will’s discovery adds another bizarre element to the already strange legal battle over Hsieh’s estate following his November 2020 death in a house fire at age 46. Hsieh reportedly crafted the will to create a “WOW factor” for beneficiaries, wanting them to “live in the wow.”