Unsealed Murdoch Files Detail $1.1 Billion Succession Fight as James Was Cast as Troublemaker
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 25
Unsealed Murdoch Files Detail $1.1 Billion Succession Fight as James Was Cast as Troublemaker
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 25
Summary
Newly public Nevada court papers show Rupert Murdoch pushed to rewrite the family trust so Lachlan would control Fox and News Corp, portraying James as a destabilizing force who threatened that plan.
The 95-year-old told the court the companies had to remain conservative "alternative voices" and warned it would be a disaster if they fell into the "wrong hands," framing succession as protection of his legacy.
Edmund Gorman's late-2024 decision also undercut Lachlan's case, finding he fueled Rupert's false suspicions about James and showed a "lack of candor" over claims tied to reporter Paddy Manning's book.
The documents trace years of sibling rupture—from a failed 2019 buyout effort to clashes after James quit the News board in 2020 over editorial content—before the trust amendment collapsed into litigation.
That fight ended in 2025 when Lachlan secured control after Elisabeth, James and Prudence received an estimated $1.1 billion each for their stakes.