John Goodman Polo Club Founder Adopts 42-Year-Old Girlfriend
John Goodman, 48, is the heir to a multi-million dollar trust fund and has recently just become the adoptive father of his 42-year-old girlfriend. He faces criminal charges and a civil lawsuit after being involved in a fatal crash that resulted in the death of another man.
Goodman, who is a multi-millionaire and founder of the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Florida, was involved a fatal car crash in 2010 which resulted in the death of 23-year-old Scott Wilson.
Goodman, who faces criminal charges, is also being sued by Wilson's parents for wrongful death. Police reports stated that Goodman ran a stop sign on February 10, 2010, in Wellington, Florida.
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The trust fund heir decided to adopt his girlfriend, Heather Laruso Hutchins, after a judge ruled that the trust funds set up for his two biological children would be off limits in the case. Court papers reflect that the adoption took place in 2010.
Scott Smith, the Wilson's attorney, is now charging that Goodman purposely adopted his girlfriend in an attempt to shield his assets. The lawyer also questioned Goodman's decision to adopt his girlfriend opposed to a adopting a child in need. "It cannot go unrecognized that he chose to adopt his 42-year-old adult girlfriend as opposed to a needy child," he told the paper.
West Palm Beach Judge Glenn Kelley was unsure what to make of the move, suggesting it to "border on the surreal and take the Court into a legal twilight zone."
"The Defendant has effectively diverted a significant portion of the assets of the children's trust to a person with whom he is intimately involved at a time when his personal assets are largely at risk in this case," the judge wrote.
Adoption attorney Charlotte Danciu questioned the legality of Goodman's move. "Unless you intend to create the parent-child relationship, you are violating the letter of the law," she told CBS12.com.
Jeanne T. Tate, a fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, told Daily Mail that the case wasn't as unusual as it seemed and that such cases have happened before. She also denoted the difference between the adoption of a child and the adoption of an adult. "A lot of the traditional adoption statutes -- including home studies -- those protections are eliminated when you're adopting an adult, with less government intrusion being the goal," Tate suggested.
After the 2010 car accident, Wilson's car was forced over the edge into a canal. Goodman proceeded to walk away from the accident without calling police. His alcohol level was later reported to be over twice the legal limit. Goodman faces charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash. His trial will begin on March 6 and he could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
