A $1.6 million family trust names Nick Reiner as its only beneficiary, but his attorneys say he hasn’t received a single dollar of it. New legal filings claim he’s been blocked from even $5, arguing the trust’s own rules should have handed him at least $558,000 when he turned 30 on September 14, 2023, while his parents were still alive.
The trustees are pointing to California’s“slayer statute,”a law designed to keep people from profiting off a death they’re accused of causing. Nick is awaiting trial in connection with the December 2025 deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner and has been held without bail since then. His legal team argues the statute doesn’t fit, because the money wasn’t tied to anyone’s death. It became his years earlier.
The filing also notes that a trustee attorney said the funds would go to Nick’s siblings, Jake and Romy, if they stay withheld. That means this isn’t just a courtroom argument, it’s a family estate battle with a very public spotlight on it.
Do you think money in a trust should stay frozen while someone awaits trial? Sound off below.
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.