Homeless Max Melitzer Found, Told He is Rich

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on June 21, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

For Max Melitzer, pushing his belongings around in a shopping cart in Salt Lake City, Utah, was part of his daily life. That is, until David Lundberg, a private detective, found him and told him some startling news.

Melitzer's brother in New York had recently passed away. And, he had left the homeless Melitzer a small fortune - around $100,000.

Melitzer hadn't seen his brother, Morris, for nearly fifteen years, reports the Daily Mail. Melitzer's cousin, Richard Goldfarb, had hired Lundberg to find Melitzer two months ago.

Goldfarb had begun his search for Melitzer when Morris died in April 2010. Morris' last wish was to give his estate to his brother to get him off the streets. His will left everything to Melitzer, though he was survived by two aunts and seven cousins, reports the Daily Mail.

Max Melitzer had lived in New York, until he moved to Utah more than thirty years ago. The last time he had spoken to his brother Morris was in 2009, a year before he died, according to the Daily Mail.

Melitzer was found in Pioneer Park after Lundberg got a tip from a local homeless center. Family members from New York plan to fly into Salt Lake City to meet up with Melitzer, the Daily Mail reports. In the meantime, Lundberg has found Melitzer a place to stay while he waits for the rest of the family to come.

Melitzer's cousin, Goldfarb, was likely the executor of the estate. Executors are usually tasked with distributing the assets as outlined in the will, paying bills for the estate, and paying taxes for the estate. As part of distributing the assets, executors are usually in charge of finding and contacting the people who are named in the will - in this case, a task that was likely quite difficult considering how Melitzer did not really have an address or a phone number where he could be reached.

David Lundberg, the private detective, likely made Max Melitzer's day when he told Melitzer the good news. Melitzer had previously been having a string of bad luck: he had been beaten and had his watch stolen earlier, reports the Daily Mail.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard