Estranged Wife of McNall Plans to Contest Lawsuit

A lawyer for Jane Cody, estranged wife of former King owner Bruce McNall, said her client plans to contest the lawsuit filed last week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles. The suit seeks to recover an alleged $1 million held in a Swiss bank account and jewelry worth thousands of dollars.

Bankruptcy trustee R. Todd Neilson contended in court papers that McNall in 1992 transferred his own Swiss assets to Cody with an intent to “hinder, delay and defraud his creditors.” Additionally, beginning no later than 1986, there was a significant transfer of jewelry from McNall to Cody, also with the same intent, according to court papers.

“We think that this is a meritless lawsuit which we deem to be a misuse of the assets of the bankruptcy estate,” said Shelly Rothschild, one of Cody’s lawyers.

“We will vigorously defend this action and we are confident that Ms. Cody will ultimately prevail at trial.”

McNall, under terms of his plea agreement with the government, has been assisting Neilson.

“Bruce has the obligation to cooperate and help them gather assets and to answer truthfully any of the trustee’s questions,” McNall’s bankruptcy lawyer, Richard L. Wynne, said Friday.

“What Bruce has to do is say what happened, where the money went, and let the chips fall where they may. Does Bruce think his wife has any liability? No. Everyone has given their wife jewelry. There’s nothing unusual about that.

“He’s obligated to help the trustee. But that doesn’t mean Bruce thinks the trustee has a good cause of action.”