Widow who tried cut adopted daughter from $250m fortune 'accuses ex's groundskeeping company of $3m rip-off'

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Christine Svenningsen, 56, who has a $250million estate from her late first husband, is suing a groundskeeping firm owned by her second husband
The alleged fraud only claim to light in March when after Ms Svenningsen, of Westchester, had divorced John Chiarella after three years of marriage
Svenningsen, who has five biological children, adopted a girl with special needs from China in 1996
The little girl, named Emily, was given up for adoption when she was eight years old before Svenningsen tried to cut her out of the family fortune
Emily has since been readopted and a court blocked Svenningsen's bid
Svenningsen also adopted a boy from China and later gave the child up for re-adoption

Published: 09:27 EST, 4 August 2014 | Updated: 12:02 EST, 4 August 2014

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A multimillionaire mother-of-five who gave up her Chinese daughter for re-adoption and attempted to cut her out of the $250million family estate is now suing a gardening company whom she claims ripped her off to the tune of $3million.

Christine Svenningsen, 56, who inherited millions from her late husband, is suing a groundskeeping firm owned by her second husband whom she claimed charged an extra $3million for work on her property empire.

The alleged fraud claim to light in March, according to the New York Daily News, after Ms Svenningsen, of Westchester, had divorced 61-year-old John Chiarella.

Christine Svenningsen, of Westchester, pictured with her five biological children, gave up two Chinese children she adopted. She then tried to keep her former adopted daughter out of her late husband's will. She is now suing her ex-husband's gardening firm as she claims she was overcharged by $3million

She had employed her ex-husband and his brother, using their firm Ultimate Services to take care of her multiple luxury island homes, cars and boats.

According to the Daily News, Ms Svenningsen claimed that the company had done a shoddy job by failing to landscape the grounds correctly at her homes or prepare boats and property for the winter months.

Ms Svenningsen said that the company was paid $5million but that she believes that cost was inflated by at least $3million.

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She claimed in the suit that her ex's company is refusing to return boats and cars that belong to her.

The property magnate is suing her second husband John Chiarella's landscaping company. The pair divorced in March

Last year, the Daily News reported that Ms Svenningsen first adopted a girl from China, named Emily in 1996.

She already had five biological children with her husband John Svenningsen, 27 years her senior.

Before the adoption was finalized, her husband was diagnosed with cancer.

According to court documents, on May 6, 1996, the Svenningsens signed an adoption agreement stating they would not abandon Emily or 'transfer or have [her] re-adopted', and that she would be deemed 'a biological child'.

The agreement also stated that Emily had the right to inherit the estate of her adopted parents, who had established a pair of trusts for their children, as well as one meant solely for Emily, according to ABC.

In December 2004, seven years after her party goods magnate husband died from cancer, Mrs Svenningsen put Emily up for adoption.

She surrendered the girl to an adoption agency in New York claimg that Emily, then eight years old, was a difficult child and unable to bond with the family.

The Daily News cited separate court documents where it was claimed she treated her adopted daughter, who reportedly has special needs, different from her other children. The child was allegedly kept apart at meal times and at one point forced to sleep outside as a punishment.

It was later suggested that the wealthy widow may have wanted to terminate Emily's interest in her husband's estate,according to court documents.

The little girl was readopted by a married couple. The Daily News reported last year that Ms Svenningsen then tried to cut Emily out of the family's vast fortune, a bid which was denied last year.

The couple had no idea about the money legally owed to their newly adopted daughter from the trust, but eventually learned that the late John Svenningsen had arranged to provide for Emily’s educational and medical needs.

One of the Thimble Islands in Long Island Sound owned by Christine Svenningsen as part of her property empire

Ms Svenningsen, pictured here with four of five of her biological children, adopted a girl and then a boy from China before giving them up for adoption

It was also revealed that the property millionaire adopted a boy from China after her husband had died.

But court papers show that after his arrival to suburban Westchester County in New York, the boy named Eric was given up for adoption, according to the Daily News.

He was readopted by a family living in New Jersey because the mother said that another baby was more than she could handle.

Ms Svenningsen said in court documents she 'couldn't handle' that many children.

Christine Svenningsen, remarried to John Chiarella, a landscaping entrepreneur who managed her islands in July 2010. Their divorce was finalized in January 2014.

Mr Chiarella started Ultimate Services Professional Ground Management in 1971 and has built the company into a firm with 100 employees.

MailOnline had reached out for comment to Ultimate Services' lawyer, Richard Corde. The lawyer told the Daily News that Ms Svenningsen's claims were 'meritless'.

The homes on the exclusive Thimble Islands off the Long Island Sound are popular vacation spots with the super-wealthy and the famous

According to the real estate website curbed.com, Svenningsen, 'spent $36M amassing a collection of nine Thimble Islands'.

The property developer has reportedly rented Belden Island - which she paid $2.77million for in 2006 - to TV network A&E to filme a new reality show Love Prison, beginning in August.

One-acre Belden Island, which has its own beach, dock and putting green, is also on the market for $3.95million.

According to property websites, Svenningsen has also placed Jepson Island on the market for close to $2million.