But as befits this stranger-than-fiction tale, Mme Bourgeois's tax-sheltered offshore bequest played its part in undoing Mr Robinson's political career.

ECONOMIST: The

Democrats want to remove the bequest exemption from the capital-gains tax law, and some Republicans want to reduce capital-gains rates anyway.

ECONOMIST: Death and taxes

In last year's budget, George Osborne introduced a new norm of 10% of any bequest to be devoted to charity in return for a 10% discount on inheritance tax.

BBC: Wanted: A new breed of business leaders like Cadburys?