The longtime girlfriend of the late Beatles manager Allen Klein is in a tug of war with his son over at least $1 million in art she claims her beau gave her before he died in 2009.
Iris Keitel lived with Klein, a gruff businessman who some blame for the Beatles’ breakup, for more than 20 years in his East 58th Street apartment, although he was still married to his estranged wife.
Now Klein’s son, Jody Klein, is accusing Keitel in a Manhattan Surrogate’s Court filing of hauling 15 pieces of artwork to her new pad, including a $120,000 painting by Rousseau. Jody, who now runs his dad’s ABKCO label, said in court yesterday that his father “didn’t give gifts,” so was unlikely to give Keitel with the pieces. The alleged snatch is also the subject of a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit brought by ABKCO, claiming Keitel kept a John Lennon drawing, “Let’s Have a Dream,” that belonged to the label.