Gene Hackman's $80 Million Estate Hit With Demand Over Late Actor's Alleged 5-Figure Debt

Yahoo

10-07-2025

The estates for late actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, are being hit with creditors' claims over alleged debt the couple left behind at the time of their deaths, Us Weekly can exclusively report.
According to court documents obtained by Us, the legendary actor's estate was served with a claim by Citibank over money owed on a Mastercard. The bank demanded $98,345.29, per paperwork filed July 1.
Around the same time, a claim was filed against Arakawa's estate over an alleged $4,329.75 owed on an account with Bank of America.The total for the claims comes to $102,675.04. The Daily Mail reported Hackman's estate is worth an estimated $80 million.
As Us previously reported, Hackman and Arakawa were found dead inside their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26. Officials determined that Arakawa's death occurred one week before Hackman died.
The chief medical examiner for New Mexico, Dr. Heather Jarrell, listed Arakawa's cause of death as 'natural' and due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. She believed Arakawa died on February 11.
Hackman is believed to have died on February 18. His cause of death was ruled to be hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease listed as a contributing factor.
What to Know About Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa's Death and Investigation
The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office confirmed the deaths to Us on February 27.
'On February 26, 2025, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and a dog were found deceased,' a rep for the sheriff's office told Us. 'Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time, however, [the] exact cause of death has not been determined.'
A sheriff's report noted that officers found the two bodies, along with the couple's dogs in the home.
Gene Hackman's Estate Asks to Block Release of Autopsy Records and Investigation Images
The report stated, 'The front door of the residence unsecured and opened, deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.'
The officer noted Arakawa's body was in a 'state of decomposition with bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.'
Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Laid to Rest Nearly 2 Months After Deaths: Report
Following Hackman and Arakawa's deaths, the actor's daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and granddaughter Annie released a statement about the loss.
'He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss,' they said.