Relative of Einstein Sues in Effort to Sell Letters

Albert Einstein’s granddaughter filed a suit Monday to remove her nephew from a $15-million trust overseeing the late scientist’s personal letters so she can sell them to raise money for her own medical expenses.

Evelyn Einstein, a 54-year-old former Berkeley police officer turned social worker, now uses a wheelchair. She needs to pay for treatment of her cancer and failing liver, according to her lawyer, state Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco).

She wants to start selling the 450 personal letters and book manuscripts featuring more correspondence--estimated to be worth $15 million--that is protected by the Albert Einstein Family Correspondence Trust.

But she wants to remove her nephew as a co-trustee first so he will not oppose the sale, Kopp said.

The suit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, alleges that her nephew, Dr. Thomas Einstein of Santa Monica, and the attorney who helped set up the trust, Michael Ferguson of Berkeley, planned to keep its existence secret until after Evelyn Einstein died.

Neither Thomas Einstein nor Ferguson could be reached for comment.