Netflix’s Murder in Monaco delves into the mystery surrounding a crime that shocked the world, and till date there are many who believe that the truth never really came out in the open. There were theories about some really influential people being involved in the case who didn’t want the world to know who really killed the billionaire, Edmond Safra. It is quite obvious that the murder of Edmond Safra has spawned countless conspiracy theories, though as always, most of them couldn’t be substantiated by solid proof. But what’s even more interesting is the role of Heidi Maher, Ted’s wife, in the case. After fiercely supporting her husband, speaking to the press about how she was harassed and filing a $60 million lawsuit against Lily Safra, she suddenly disappeared from public view, divorced Ted, and seemingly withdrew the damages claim altogether. There is very little information present about Heidi in the public domain, so let’s try to speculate what her motivations could have been, why she had a change of heart and decided to get a restraining order against her husband, and where she is now.
Why did Lily Safra get Heidi abducted?
As we saw in the documentary, Ted Maher was convicted for murdering Safra by starting a fire at his Monaco penthouse. It was stated that Heidi Maher (Ted’s third wife) and her brother, Todd Wustrau, were abducted by Lily Safra’s men. Heidi stated that the police searched them, interrogated them, and then harassed them and that they don’t have any clue why she was not allowed to meet her husband. Ted stated in the court of law that he was blackmailed and told to sign a document written in French, which he later found out was a confession document. He said in his testimony that the Monaco law enforcement officers told him that if he wanted his wife and kids to be safe then he needed to do as he was told.
In an interview that Heidi gave at that point in time, she said that she had no clue that Lily’s men would take her to the police station in their bulletproof limo. She said that even her return tickets were canceled, and she was told that she would have to stay as long as it took for them to make Ted confess to his crimes. Heidi, during this period, i.e. 1999 to late 2002, stood alongside Ted and mentioned in multiple interviews how their family was being targeted by the Safra family. Surprisingly, Heidi found some support when Edmond Safra’s brother made a public statement about Lily Safra being the mastermind behind the crime. Everybody questioned how Lily Safra was not present at the penthouse when the fire broke out. Heidi too told the media that her husband was not supposed to be on duty that night, but somebody changed the schedule as they probably wanted him to be there so he could be framed.
What Happened To Heidi’s Lawsuit?
Heidi Maher filed a damages suit of $60 million against Lily Safra, claiming foul play. Her lawyer, Mark Kurzman, asked for $10 million in compensatory damages and the other $50 million as punitive damages. The case was filed in the Dutchess County Supreme Court, and Lily Safra was accused of negligent breach of contract, breach of duty and negligent infliction of mental illness. But then, on 21st January 2003, Ted Maher escaped from prison with his cellmate, Luigi, and around that time Heidi had a sudden change of heart. Heidi was the one who reported her husband’s escape to the authorities, and as shown in the documentary, she was not happy that Ted had made such a reckless decision. In fact, she went to say that she wanted to keep her kids away from him, as she didn’t think it could be good for their mental health. I do not deny that Heidi might have really felt at the time that Ted’s presence would have a bad influence on her kids and that he was not in the right frame of mind to be a responsible father. But what surprised me was what happened after that. So not only did Heidi file for a divorce, but for some unknown reason she also withdrew her case against Lily Safra. Some reports suggest she decided to withdraw the case just a day before the trial. There was a conspiracy theory floating around that Lily had purchased an expensive house in the US, and she had gifted that to Heidi. Now, since Heidi didn’t come forward to tell her side in the documentary, one cannot really substantiate these theories and they remain just a speculation. But still, the fact that she suddenly took back her lawsuit, how she vanished from the public view, and how she didn’t want to be a part of the documentary raise a few questions about the entire case and make things look a bit suspicious.
Where Is Heidi Now?
As stated earlier, after Heidi got a divorce, she disappeared from public view and decided to keep a low profile. There is no information about her current whereabouts, though in some reports it was stated that she went back to live with Joan Wustrau, her mother. She did get herself registered as a nurse, and she tries her level best to provide for her children. Heidi, in an interview, stated how she chose to work overtime, and cut all ties with her husband, because she didn’t want her kids’ future to be adversely affected. The documentary stated that there is no evidence that suggests that Heidi got bribed by Lily Safra, or that the latter bought a property that she gifted to her. Heidi also apparently filed for a restraining order against Ted since she had a feeling that the man, after being released, would bother her or come after her. I mean I wouldn’t blame her for doing that since Ted was found guilty of plotting the murder of his fourth wife, Dr Lark.
