‘American Pickers’ Star Frank Fritz’s Will Challenged Four Months After His Death

Frank Fritz’s estate is at the center of a new tense legal battle. Four months after the American Pickers star passed away at the age of 60 after suffering a stroke, a friend has reportedly challenged Fritz’s will and demanded a trial to determine his estate.

Since the case has been sealed, meaning documents are not available to the public, details of the case are scarce. In October 2023, a year after the History Channel star suffered a stroke and amid ongoing health issues, Fritz’s lawyer filed a “will prior to death” to “safe keep” the document. Although a certificate was issued for approval of the will on Oct. 18, weeks after his passing, The Sun reports things took a turn on Dec. 30, 2024 when the attorney of Fritz’s friend, who was not identified, entered his appearance in the case on her behalf. A separate attorney officially requested for the will to be canceled or invalidated legally when they filed a Petition in Probate to “set aside will and jury demand,” on Feb. 3.

At stake is Fritz’s net worth, which is estimated to be $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, a hefty sum he accumulated over decades of picking. The reality star got his start in the picking world while working as a fire inspector, during which time he began picking up firefighter and firehouse-related trinkets. He eventually began selling the items for a higher return and opened his antique shop, Frank Fritz Finds.

His talent for finding rare artifacts and national treasures garnered the attention of the History Channel, and together with Mike Wolfe, he went on to star in American Pickers. Although Wolfe still stars on the show, Fritz stepped back during its 21st season in 2020.

Wolfe was by Fritz’s side when he passed away on Sept. 30. Later opening up about his friend’s final moments, Wolfe told PEOPLE that he “got the call that he wasn’t doing well. I just feel blessed that I was able to get there. I was there for about an hour before he passed, and I was holding his hand and rubbing his chest when he took his last breath. I took my fingers and I closed his eyes.”

Wolfe remembered Fritz “a beautiful, beautiful person that, to be honest with you, who knows what our lives would’ve been like if there was never a show. I just want people to know who he was… He was very sensitive. He was very caring. He was extremely funny. His sense of comedic timing was unbelievable… He was one of those guys, no matter who we talked to, he could always make people feel comfortable and let them know that they’re being heard.”

As for Fritz’s existing collection of antiques? His longtime friend Jerry Gendreau previously told The Sun that “they’re going to have an auction. That’s what I would do because of his fan base, I think he’ll do really, really well with an auction.”