Oliver Tree Repatriated to California as Estate Is Set to Fund Arts Foundation

Overview

• A mid-air collision on June 14 in Rio de Janeiro killed six people, including Oliver Tree, and Brazilian authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash.
• Oliver Tree’s body was returned to California after formal identification and release by Rio’s forensic service, a move announced by his team on social media.
• The artist’s will establishes the Dr. Oliver Tree's Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses to fund art and creative projects and the foundation is scheduled to begin operating this week, the family says.
• Christine Nickell, Tree’s mother, confirmed the family will not inherit any of his estate, which sources estimate at about US$4 million, and the funds will be routed to the foundation.
• Those killed alongside Tree included Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Grim, director Lucas Vignale, producer Lucas Brito Chaves and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac, and the foundation could shift the artist’s long-term earnings into grants for new creators.