End of Estate Dispute Aids New Foundation

The resolution of a bitter legal battle is expected to pave the way for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to receive the bulk of the late media mogul’s estate, which is believed to be worth at least $500-million.

The estate of Mr. Cooke, who owned the Washington Redskins, will reportedly give his widow $20-million to drop her challenge to the will that disinherited her.

A lawyer for the Cooke estate declined to confirm the size of the estate or terms of the settlement, but The Washington Post reported that the estate is worth from $500-million to $825-million.

Under the terms of Mr. Cooke’s will, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation was established last year in Virginia. The executors of the estate serve as directors of the foundation, which has yet to open an office or establish program guidelines. The will provides only a broad outline of causes to be supported, including scholarship programs for high-school students and college undergraduates, as well as sports training for poor children.