Viktoria Chapman and Don Cornelius
*When you think of “Soul Train” you automatically think of him.
But it’s not that Don Cornelius is gone, it’s how he went. People are beginning to wonder why the father of an institution which “Soul Train” was would commit suicide, if that is the official ruling.
According to reports, the soul man died with two life insurance policies worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The beneficiary of both is his ex-wife whom he feuded with often.
The breakup between Cornelius and Viktoria Chapman was ugly. Their relationship included domestic abuse, and according to him, she was also a harsh woman and pepper sprayed him multiple times.
The two divorced in 2009.
Filed with official documents, Don went on record for saying, “I am 72 years old. I have significant health issues. I want to finalize this divorce before I die.”
But a provision in the divorce states that his ex-wife would be the beneficiary of both his life insurance policies, totaling around $300,000.
We know what you may be thinking, she can’t get the money.
Well, not so fast. According to the policy, if the insured commits suicide within the first two years of the policy, the company will not pay out. However, the policy is over two years old and the money WILL go to the ex.
So now we continue to wonder, why Don why?
As we reported, Cornelius was found dead in his home after reports of shots fired in his Sherman Oaks home at around 4 a.m. Authorities say it was Don’s own son, Tony, who made the 911 call.
Don Cornelius was 75.
She has a horrible boob job. Oh well, I’m sure she will pop up to collect. I wonder if Don had any children? This is about to get interesting.
I co-sign about the boob job. $300,.000 is a hell of a lot more than I have right now, but considering who this man was, it’s really nothing to make news about. I’ll bet the provision was the idea of Don’s lawyers so that he could save MILLIONS. Ex-wifey was “a harsh woman?” Well, she IS Russian.
The important thing is that the BULK OF HIS REAL FORTUNE will be split between his two sons. I did some research yesterday and found that he has two sons, Anthony and Raymon, by his first wife, Delores. (I wonder which son found him.) I wonder what Delores is thinking and feeling.
Don was an ex-Marine. This fact makes his method of suicide all the more chilling.
Cosign Diva, when I first saw her a couple of years ago, I thought the same thing. Dang!! her boobs are really saggy. LOL!!
$300,000? While that’s some nice change for some folks, that’s nothing compared to what she could have gotten. Like the article states, at least the bulk of his estate goes to his children.
oops! I meant the poster above in regards to who gets the bulk of estate.
I’m sure Don paid her off well after their divorce so that additional $300,000 was just gravy.
Ain’t got not’n to say ‘cept that folks need to make sure they have a sensible prenup before getting hitched. Especially if it’s with a beckey.
Good, I’m glad his children will be entitled to more and Grace you are right $300K in his regards isn’t that much but I’m sure she will gladly take it. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried make a fight to get more. From the sounds of it, I bet he regretted marrying this trick.
We all know this woman will pop up to collect the 300K, there is no doutt. I cannot help bu wonder idespite his health issues and seeing that he had an ugly break up with Viktoria he commited suicide just so she could not get any more of his fortune and is only enttiled to the payout from the two insurances. I hope his will is ironclad and she cannot contest it in any way shape or form. I am sure he gave her whatever money ffrom the divorce so she does not DESERVE another penny.( from what I have heard thsi twit was jsut as conniving as Oksana whatever her name that was with Mel Gibson).
I agree, babycakes. Research what came out during Amani Toomer’s divorce from his Russian bride.
A Hermes purse can cost more than $300K. I’m sure some slime ball attorney will come from under a rock to try and convince her to get his real fortune and tie the shit up in litigation and probate for years…Don was a business man and a good one. I’m willing to bet he had his fortune from Soul Train iron clad to where no greedy ass peckerwood would get his or her hands on it…No one ever understood why he until recently would not put Soul Train on DVD and when he did, it was an instant hit…EVERYBODY looked forward to Saturday mornings at 11am to see the latest dance moves, the latest fashions, all the top hit artists and the famous Soul Train line. He had a wonderful legacy and its so unfortunate he had to end his life like this. I wonder what kind of health problems he had. They showed Soul Train all night on Centric. It was really cool…I was cracking up seeing Jody and Jeffrey wearing matching knee high socks with blue Jellies…OMG…they were both wearing Jellies…LOL
From what I read & heard is his brain tumor has came back. It’s a sad situation all the way around!
Also it’s being said that he was the beginning stage of dementia.I posted an article which stated that the day before his death Don spoke with a friend, former WGCI Radio head honcho Marv Dyson(I posted in the articles regarding DC’s death and the Bowlegged Lou Audio one)Also he had brain surgery,life saving brain surgery back in 1983,which I never read /heard until yesterday.
ps. Don looks miserable with her in this pic. does anyone think so???
@babycakes yes he does! Really hope he took care of the financial part so his son’s can get what is due them.I really hope this tramp can’t come back and cause problems but we all know that money always brings out the worst in people even 3 years after the divorce she may try to get creative considering what his legacy may be worth!
Just Ugh!!! No Don hate the day he married her. Glad Don got kids.
Diva: Donny has at least one son. A $300K policy doesn’t seem all that large. I have a $500.k policy myself. I’m worth VERY WELL below $1M. Believe that!.
Don has 2 sons Tony & Raymond. from his 1st marriage.