A Jordanian princess has launched a “relentless campaign” to seize legal control of incapacitated Wall Street titan Lionel Pincus from his sons and is suing his estate for a $50 million duplex in the Pierre Hotel, a source has told The Post.
Pincus, 78, the founder of $35 billion private equity firm Warburg Pincus, became mentally and physically disabled after cancer surgery in December 2006. His sons were appointed custodians of his health and welfare – much to the annoyance of his longtime companion, Princess Firyal of Jordan.
Since the slight, the 62-year-old princess racked up nearly a quarter of a million dollars in private-investigator fees trying to dig up dirt on the wife of one of Pincus’ sons, according to court papers.
“She’s a predator princess,” said the source. “This is part of a relentless and ongoing attack on [the sons] Henry and Matthew since they’ve been appointed guardianship of his personal needs and health care.”
The high-maintenance princess, who divorced Prince Mohammed, the brother of King Hussein of Jordan, even sicced private snoops on the ailing moneyman’s personal nurse, Fredrick O’Regan, court records show.
The skullduggery was revealed when the private dicks Firyal hired to tail the family sued her in Manhattan Supreme Court for allegedly failing to pay them. They are seeking some $178,000 from the princess.
According to the suit, Insite Security was hired to follow around Henry’s wife, Ana Pincus, from Jan. 7 to Feb. 20 of last year.
The lawyer for the Pincus brothers would not comment. A lawyer for Princess Firyal declined comment, while the royal herself could not be reached.
Firyal has also dragged estate trustees Samuel Butler of Manhattan law firm Cravath & Swain and Philadelphia banker Roger Hilles into Manhattan Surrogate Court in an attempt to take control of a 14-room duplex apartment in the Pierre Hotel, according to the source.
Firyal has been left the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom pad with 10-foot ceilings in Pincus’ will, according to a person who has seen the document. But apparently she wants it now.
The princess began her affair with Pincus, a widower, in early 2000. She had just ended a decade-long relationship with Greek shipping billionaire Stravos Niarchos, according to reports.