Muhammad v. First Pacific Bank

This appeal involved a dispute over the ownership of approximately $3 million placed in a bank account entitled “The Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s Poor Fund Account” (Poor Fund Account) at the First Pacific Bank of Chicago (Bank). Elijah Muhammad was the leader of a religious organization known as the Nation of Islam (Nation). He died in 1975 survived by a number of legitimate and illegitimate children (the Estate). Following Elijah Muhammad’s death the Bank, believing that the Poor Fund Account belonged to the Nation, transferred the money to a new account opened by Wallace Muhammad, Elijah…