Simon Lyons, grandson of the late retail tycoon Jack Lyons, is suing his mother, Miriam, for over £1 million, alleging she conspired with former business partners to defraud him. The legal action, filed with the High Court, claims Miriam Lyons acted against her son's interests in a property business they co-founded 17 years prior.
According to the court documents, the alleged fraud occurred in 2021. Simon Lyons claims that from that point, his mother demanded he transfer his shares as part of a "pre-formulated 'whole package.'" The claim states she threatened him with being left "penniless, friendless and without a reputation" and warned he would lose his own daughter if he refused. The document further alleges that Miriam spread "false allegations of substance abuse and instability" to undermine her son's credibility and isolate him. She reportedly stated that he would only receive her support if he surrendered his company computer.
Miriam Lyons, sister of textiles tycoon Sir Harry Djanogly, has stated through her lawyer that she is "saddened by the current proceedings" but declined to comment further on the claims.
Jack Lyons, formerly Sir Jack, died at the age of 92. He was a significant philanthropist, supporting institutions such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Opera House. His knighthood was rescinded following a conviction for theft and false accounting in the 1986 Guinness share-trading scandal.
Simon Lyons described the situation as a "terrible, terrible mess" and expressed regret that the dispute could not be resolved through mediation, particularly given their shared Jewish heritage. "Airing dirty linen in public is not something anybody really wants to do," he stated.