John Paul Getty III, grandson of oil magnate J. Paul Getty and father of Balthazar Getty died Saturday in Buckinghamshire, England at the age of 54. The most disturbing part of Paul’s life to many was his abduction by the mafia from a piazza in Rome. His billionaire grandfather refused to pay for the requested ransom of $17 million and the kipnappers cut off the then teenager’s right ear and mailed it to the Italian press.
The grandfather still refused to pay any ransom and made a statement at that time, ”I have 14 grandchildren, and if I pay a penny of ransom, I’ll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren.”
John was in captivity for four months and eventually released after his family paid $ 3 million and the story goes the grandfather ponied up a portion of the ransom and charged his son, the victim’s father a 4 % interest for the loaned fund. Sick story.
In 1981, a drug overdose left Getty paralyzed and partially blind, according to the Times. Getty spent six weeks in a coma and had been confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak since then.
He’s the father of Balthazar Getty.
R.I.P.
photos of Balthazar Getty and his wife
images via WENN
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An employee at the Getty owned Pierre Hotel in New York City wondered why there were so many Germans being hired and staying at The Pierre during World War II. He called the FBI and the FBI charged J.P. Getty with Espionage, FBI File 100.1202, June 26, 1940.