Did you guys see this crazy picture of rabid Miami Heat fan Filomena “Phyllis” Tobias flipping off Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah? It’s pretty crazy, right? Well not nearly as crazy as Phyllis’s back story. See, in 2008, she was accused of murdering her husband.
Family members of her husband, Seth Tobias, believe that he died after Phyllis crushed up an entire bottle of the sleeping pill Ambien and put it in his penne pasta. After eating, Tobias apparently failed to follow the “no swimming for 30 minutes” rule and drowned in the couple’s Jupiter, Florida, pool. Phyllis claimed she was out walking the dog when all this happened, but came home, found her husband in the pool and called 911.
Tobias, a prominent investment manager and CNBC commentator, was worth around $25 million when he died. His brothers, Spence, Scott, Joshua and Samuel, knew how much he was worth, and suspected that Filomena had murdered him for the money. They filed a civil complaint, alleging Filomena was responsible for Seth’s death, but after a five month investigation by Jupiter police, she was cleared of suspicion, despite the fact that the couple’s former assistant Billy Ash told police that Phyllis had confessed to him that she had “cajoled her husband, who was on a cocaine binge, into the water” with the promise of sex with a male go-go dancer named Tiger. Yes, that’s right: Billy — a self-professed psychic and noted con man, so take this with a grain of salt — claimed that Seth enjoyed sex with male hustlers. Anyway.
Phyllis had been married three times before, and had been on the verge of divorce from Seth Tobias several times, but they always reconciled after their frequent fights. Phyllis was a big spender who liked nice things, and at one point purchased a Porsche without Seth’s permission (and using his credit cards). He made her return it. Phyllis also spent buttloads of money — up to $2,500 a month — to retain Billy Ash as her personal psychic.
A few months ago, the civil complaint against Phyllis was resolved, and she split Seth’s $25 million fortune with two of his brothers. In 2008, New York magazine wrote a totally batcrackers piece on Phyllis and Seth, that delves into the couple’s twisted world — it’s definitely worth a read.
Man, you’d think a woman who spent so much time under public scrutiny (for murder, in case you forgot) would try and keep her temper under control a little better. And as for whether or not she’ll be allowed back at future Miami Heat games, the Heat have given her a warning, but haven’t banned her. Yet. [Sports Illustrated]
Original by Julie Gerstein
