Late banker’s lover found dead in legal battle over his £18,000,000 fortune

A former nightclub owner accused of swindling his late lover out of £18million has been found dead.

Magdalena Zalinska, 46, was linked to Danny Torrell, who managed billions of dollars for the city’s leading businesses and Wellcome Trust charities, until she died in 2019 at the age of 55.

Mr Truell, who retired from his career after developing motor neuron disease, left her over £1million and all his belongings in his will.

Zalinska is believed to have been found dead in her apartment last Saturday by police concerned about her health.

Her death is treated as unexpected, but not suspicious.

The High Court ruled on how the 46-year-old Polish national’s mental health “worsened” after the death of her lover, and how she increasingly struggled with alcohol and drug abuse.

She also struggled with the “tremendous pressure” of cross-examination, with Danny’s brother calling her a “call girl” even though she admitted to caring for him. criticized repeatedly.

The judge presiding over the case said it was ‘correct’ to be offended by the suggestion that she did not have a deeply loving relationship with the deceased or that she took advantage of him.

Edi Truell, also an investor in the city, and Danny’s former attorney, John Rayner Hatchard, began taking her to court in 2020 over a transfer that was spotted as the executor of the estate.

Those include £1.34m paid between 2013 and 2018 to the now-defunct Southwark Rooms near London’s Boroughmarket, the company whose club she owned between 2013 and 2018.

Around £915,000 in cash was deposited directly into her account between 2012 and 2019, with a further £1.38m spent and Danny’s debit card withdrawals said to have been “controlled” by Mr Zalinska. increase.

Eddie claimed his brother’s spending was “suspicious” because he was “living frugally”, and his deteriorating health led to a significant increase in spending.

The High Court ruled that Danny “did not drive a car, have expensive hobbies, or go on many vacations” and lived in a “modest and ill-furnished” two-story maisonette near Clapham Junction. I heard that you lived

Zalinska, who is from Poland, has strongly denied the allegations, claiming that she had been in a “romantic and affectionate relationship” with Truel since 2004.

She claimed they didn’t get divorced until 2011, but started seeing each other after splitting from wife Naomi, whom she married in 1995.

Her accuser admitted to having had a sexual relationship, but claimed that Zarinska had been hired as a caregiver for Danny, who was diagnosed in 2012, and that they did not live together.

The 2021 High Court ruling offered no further explanation or evidence for calling Ms. Zalinska Danny’s “call girl.”

He also described Zalinska as his “partner and dependent” and said he never challenged Danny’s will to make him the trustee of the charitable foundation that would be established after his death.

She has apologized for partially violating an asset freeze order and has spoken to about 10 people who allege her “vulnerable” condition was “easily manipulated and exploited” and “desperate for money.” He claimed to have given his debit card to a friend.

She told the court she was attacked after she resisted repeated demands for money from some people she met through her club and “had injuries to my face, legs and arms”. .

Judge Michael Green acknowledged that she was “surrounded by undesirable and unscrupulous people who took advantage of her,” adding, “You could say she allowed herself to be in that position, but she I don’t think I had any control over what happened.

The judge concluded that she was right to be offended by the suggestion that she did not have a deep affection for the deceased or that she had taken advantage of him.

He added that Zalinska’s ordeal was a “very sad story” and that it was “painful” to see her repeatedly interrogated.

Wojtek Zalinski, her ex-husband of 46, said the call girl allegations were “absolute bullshit.”

He told MailOnline that he flew from his home in Krakow to the UK to help find out what happened to her.

A full trial of the allegations was scheduled to take place next year.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “On Saturday 11 March, police on routine patrol were contacted at approximately 15:58 by people concerned about the welfare of residents of the Lavender Gardens SW11 residential area.

“Police forcefully entered and found a 46-year-old woman dead. Her next of kin were informed.

“Although an initial investigation determined it was not suspicious, the death is being treated as unexpected. The coroner’s office has been notified.