The longtime paramour of a prominent, married Manhattan art gallerist allegedly neglected and starved him to death -- and tried to steal his $50 million fortune, his family claims in court papers.
Pierre Levai, the nephew of famed Marlborough Gallery co-founder Frank Lloyd, died in June at age 87, but his final months were a painful blur at the hands of Marcia Levine, his wife and son alleged in a scathing Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit.
Levai hadn't eaten for three weeks and was in critical condition from septic shock and a host of other medical problems by the time he was admitted to a Florida hospital in April, the family alleged.
"Ms. Levine recklessly caused Pierre's death. Therefore, according to New York State's so-called 'slayer rule,' Ms. Levine has disqualified herself from benefiting from her would-be benefactor's demise," Max Levai, who owns a 26-acre horse ranch in Montauk, said in court papers.
She was due to inherit $3 million, according to court papers.
The two sides have been duking it out in Florida courts since Levai's June death, records show, with Levine claiming Levai -- who owns three Manhattan apartments and a home in upstate Germantown -- was actually a Florida resident, a contention a judge slapped down in November. Law.com first reported the battle over the $50 million estate.
For decades, Levai lived an apparently charmed life.
The art dealer amassed a fortune after opening the New York branch of the Marlborough in 1963; was married to wife Rosi for 55 years while keeping at least two lovers on the side, including a woman in France and one of his longtime employees, Marcia Levine.
And everyone was fine with the arrangement.
"I tolerated Pierre's romantic relationships and Pierre and [I] remained married through them. Pierre and I remained amicable and I had a prominent role in stewarding Pierre's care until very shortly before his death," Rosi Levai said in court papers.
The couple, who share two adult children, lived apart since 2012 but as Levai's physical and cognitive abilities declined, he needed 24-hour home health aides, and Rosi became his main caretaker, she said in the litigation.
But wife and girlfriend often worked hand-in-hand, communicating frequently as dementia left him unable to fend for himself, Rosi said, until he went to Miami with Levine in November 2023 for an annual winter vacation.
Days after the ailing octogenarian arrived in the Sunshine State with a single suitcase of clothes and his medications, Levine allegedly began isolating him from his family and trying to change his estate plan, according to the lawsuit.
Levai always intended to come back to New York, where a new apartment closer to Rosi was in the midst of being renovated. But Levai "would never return," court papers show.
After about a month, "Marcia began to keep secrets from me about Pierre's condition . . . and attempted to take advantage of Pierre in his weakened and demented state," Rosi Levai said in court papers against Levine.
Levine refused to let him communicate with or see Rosi or their son, Max; took control of his cell phone; had him buy her a $7 million Miami apartment and allegedly concocted estate documents with the help of a lawyer that went against Levai's lifelong wishes, his family contended.
Levine, who was allegedly working with a Florida lawyer named Paul Cowan, allegedly refused to let Levai be taken off life support for weeks, "against Pierre's express wishes," his family claimed.
"As a result of the shameful and dishonest actions of Cowan and Marcia actions, Pierre lay strapped to his bed for weeks in significant pain and unable to speak to his family or enjoy a pain free moment," according to court papers.
"Everyone who knows the couple knows they were in an extremely loving, mutually supportive relationship for decades and they would never do anything to harm each other," a source close to Levine told The Post. "She and her legal team are looking forward to addressing this in court."