Barneys Heir Files Lawsuit Claiming Family Evaded $20 Million New York Taxes

Bob Pressman, grandson of Barney Pressman, founder of the now-defunct luxury department store Barneys, has filed a lawsuit accusing his late mother Phyllis Pressman and siblings of orchestrating a tax fraud scheme to evade over $20 million in New York state income and estate taxes. The suit alleges that despite claims that Phyllis was a Florida resident, she actually lived in Southampton, New York, for the last six years of her life and did not consider Florida her permanent home. Phyllis Pressman, who died in 2024 at age 95, left behind an estate valued at over $100 million, including a $38.5 million Hamptons mansion and a $3.95 million Upper East Side apartment. Bob Pressman, who was excluded from his mother’s will due to his refusal to partake in the scheme and ongoing family disputes, is acting as a whistleblower under the New York False Claims Act seeking treble damages. The lawsuit accuses his siblings and the estate’s fiduciaries of filing false documents to claim Florida residency, thereby avoiding New York taxes. The case reveals deep family rifts and raises questions about estate tax compliance involving significant high-value properties and assets.