Intensely private social worker, who duct-taped his shoes, left surprise $15m to kids

Seattle: Alan Naiman was known for an unabashed thriftiness that veered into comical, but even those closest to him had no inkling of the fortune that he quietly amassed and the last act that he…

• Sally Ho
• The Sydney Morning Herald

The Washington state social worker died of cancer this year at age 63, leaving most of a surprising $US11 million ($15.6 million) estate to children’s charities that help the poor, sick, disabled and…

The amount baffled the beneficiaries and his best friends, who are lauding Naiman as the anniversary of his death approaches in January.

That’s because the Seattle man patched up his shoes with duct tape, sought deals at the…

• Intensely private social…