Housekeeper is “Squatting” in UES Townhouse, Late Owner’s Widow Says

The family of recently-deceased mattress mogul Craig Schmeizer says that his former live-in housekeeper is now “squatting” in his UES townhouse, and is blocking family members—including his widow—from entering the home.

The widow, Sarah Shalev, is listed as the trustee of two LLCs that her lawyers say give her ownership over the home. She now wants police to reinvestigate the circumstances of his death, after suspecting foul play on behalf of the accused “squatter.”

According to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Shalev in Manhattan Supreme Court—which was first reported on by the real estate publication Curbed—Hillarie Page has been commandeering 111 E. 81st St. since Schmeizer died last November, at the age of 52. Prior to his death, he had apparently built a thriving direct-to-consumer mattress empire.

Page reportedly worked as a housekeeper for Schmeizer at the home, which he bought for $13.2 million in 2022. Schmeizer’s cause of death was deemed “blunt force trauma” to the head, with the police not suspecting any foul play, instead citing the influence of “chronic alcohol” usage.

The story was complicated even further on Feb. 24, when the New York Post reported that Page had been arrested for an assault on Schmeizer a few weeks before his death, leading Schmeizer’s family to tell the outlet that they want another probe into the circumstances of his passing. Schmeizer did not press charges at the time, and cops currently say that they stand by their original autopsy.

Lawyers for Shalev argue that Page was “permitted to reside in the Building and occupy a portion thereof” as long as Schmeizer lived there. However, the suit continues, “the said license of Page to occupy space in the Building was terminated by virtue of the death of Schmeizer.”

Shalev—whom the Post deemed “estranged” from Schmeizer in the months before his death—is now solely responsible for the “operation, maintenance and control of the building,” according to the lawsuit. This has become impossible for Shalev, the suit claims because “Page has refused to allow [Shalev] to enter the Building and will not provide a key to the entrance door of the building.”

An account of what would appear to be a rather dramatic standoff is then provided by Shalev’s lawyers. They note that the “building had been dark/unlit for months,” apparently giving Shalev the impression that Page was not indeed living there, which reportedly changed on the afternoon of Feb. 5.

But there was a dramatic confrontation on Feb. 5 when Shalev called a locksmith to gain access to the building. “At approximately 4 p.m. Shalev and a legal representative attempted to gain access to the Building by ringing the doorbell, banging on the door and throwing snowballs at windows,” the suit reads. “When no responded by about 4:40 p.m. it was assumed that the Building had been abandoned and a locksmith gained entry, whereupon Page ran towards the door screaming and both parties called the police.”

Rather interestingly, lawyers for Shalev note that that police then told Shalev to leave—rather than alleged “squatter” Page.

Outside of the “operation and maintenance” duties that fall to Shalev as a trustee, her lawyers wrote, Shalev needs to enter the premises to check on the status of a rather exhaustive list of items. These reportedly include financial records, “updated estate planning documents,” artwork, mail, a wine collection, a passport, “small sentimental items” belonging to Schmeizer, and gifts given from Schmeizer to his children.

As for monetary compensation, her lawyers say, Shalev is demanding a large “use and occupancy” payment from Page that would stretch into the six figures. They want it to be tallied based on the months that the latter woman has reportedly occupied the building, at a rate of $49,000 per month.

Representatives for Page could not be reached at press time