One of Australia's wealthiest families is locked in a bitter legal dispute over a multibillion-dollar estate - as daughter claims she was left out of will because she was artificially inseminated
The daughter of the patriarch of one of Australia's wealthiest families claims she was cut out of her father's will because she was conceived artificially.
The Smorgon family have an estimated worth of more than $2.7billion through investments in property, plastics, steel, electronics, chemicals, and meat.
Samantha Jane Smorgon is suing the rest of the family for access to financial records from 18 trust accounts in a legal fight over her late father Robert's will.
The trusts are held by her brother Stephen and other relatives and include delicate information about the size and scope of the families' assets.
Ms Smorgon, 44, was conceived by artificial insemination and believes that is why she was denied access to the benefits of the trusts after Robert's death in 2019.
Samantha Jane Smorgon is suing her famous and wealthy Melbourne family
The 44-year-old wants access to 18 trust accounts managed by brother Stephen Smorgon (pictured with his wife Kelly)
But members of the family are working to stop Ms Smorgon from being able to access the financial records, Herald Sun reported.
The accounts contain balance sheets, bank statements, tax information and management details about Mr Smorgon's business interests.
Her father claimed in his will he had no biological children and instead referred to Ms Smorgon as his 'stepchild'.
However, Ms Smorgon claims this is incorrect as Mr Smorgon was listed as her father on her birth certificate, and she his daughter on his death certificate.
'Throughout my childhood, I was brought up believing that I was a child of my father,' Ms Smorgon said in an affidavit.
Ms Smorgon is also suing Vicki Smorgon, over a lack of support from late father Robert's will. Pictured: Vicki and Robert Smorgon
Ms Smorgon said she only found out she wasn't her father's biological daughter until her teenage years and was told her brother Stephen was conceived the same way.
'Indeed my father treated me as if he was my natural father and I his child,' she said.
Ms Smorgon works in health care and said she has never received any income from the trusts, but claims to be a general beneficiary for 15 of the accounts.
Chief financial officer of Smorgon family business ESCOR Group, Michael Meehan, said the company could not grant Ms Smorgon access to the confidential details.
'The business activities of the active trusts include, but are not limited to, investments in equity managed funds, private equity, private equity funds, property and property development and property managed funds,' he wrote in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Meehan for comment.
Ms Smorgon was conceived by artificial insemination and she believes that is why she was denied access to the trusts after the death of her father Robert in 2019
Ms Smorgon has also pursued a legal case against Vicki Smorgon, who is the executor of her father's estate, over a lack of support from his will.
The Smorgon's topped the BRW Rich Families in Australia list for seven years in a row up to 2015.
The family wealth began with a butcher in North Carlton founded by Naum Smorgon in 1928 to become Australia's biggest privately owned institution.
Smorgon Steel sold for $2.5billion to OneSteel in 2005 allowing brothers Victor and Eric to start the Victor Smorgon group and Escor Group respectively.
The Victor Smorgon Group includes General Pants Co, Vicfam Plastics and Smorgon Fuels, while Escor Group focuses on property, investments and cosmetics.