Gene Hackman’s $80m estate hit with 6-figure legal claims 5 months after his death

Gene Hackman’s $80 million estate is reportedly facing legal complications after he allegedly racked up a hefty debt before his death in February 2025.

The Superman actor is said to have had almost $100,000 in unpaid credit card bills before his death aged 95, and his late wife, Betsy Arakawa, was also in the red, reports Us Weekly.

Final debt

According to court documents obtained by the site, Gene’s estate was served with a claim by Citibank over money owed on a Mastercard. Paperwork filed July 1, claims the late actor owes the bank $98,345.29.

It has also been reported that Betsy owes $4,329 on an account with Bank of America, making the reported total for the claims $102,675.

It is possible that the late couple’s deaths prevented them from settling their debts, prompting the banks to file claims to seek repayment from their estates.

Gene and Betsy were discovered in February at their $3.8 million Santa Fe home by a security officer who was called by the couple’s maintenance worker. The employee became suspicious after the pair failed to answer the door.

Betsy’s body was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet. Gene’s body was discovered with the same signs of decomposition as his wife’s. 

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Cause of deaths

Almost two weeks after they were found dead, their causes of death were revealed by Dr Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for New Mexico.

She told a press conference that it was “reasonable to conclude” that Betsy, 64, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11; Hantavirus can be fatal and is spread by rodents’ body fluids and excrement, and produces flu-like symptoms.

Gene died six days later on February 17, and an autopsy revealed he had a history of cardiovascular disease, along with advanced Alzheimer’s.

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The Oscar-winning actor had a history of heart attacks and high blood pressure, and officials said that “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease” was the cause of death, “with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor”.

Both deaths were ruled as natural, and no signs of internal or external trauma were found.

In an interview, Santa Fe Police Chief Brian Moya revealed that first responders were searching for Gene for around 30 minutes before the couple’s two surviving dogs, German Shepherd Bear and Akita-shepherd mix Nikita, guided them to his body.

© Animal Rescue Inc/ Facebook

Authorities had quickly found Betsy “splayed on the bathroom floor” with the couple’s third dog, Zinna, who was dead in a locked crate in the bathroom closet, after she was seen lying on the floor by the maintenance worker who dialled 911.

Several sheriff’s deputies, paramedics, and Santa Fe firefighters soon began to search for Gene, meticulously checking other rooms in the sprawling house without any luck.

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During the search, one of Gene and Betsy’s dogs kept barking at them and running off in different locations. At first, paramedics thought the dog wanted to play. Then, they realized it wanted them to follow.

“They realized (the dog) was trying to say, ‘Hey, come over here! Come over here!'” Brian told USA Today. The dog led first responders to Gene’s body in a mudroom at the far end of the home.