Cupertino, California - The mystery backers who bankrolled Steve Jobs owned all the patents behind the company that now sees his posthumous wealth valued at $7 billion.
Papers filed before a California court detail the parent company ownership that hired Jobs and his pal Steve Wozniak - plus the licensing agreements on high tech inventions that Jobs claimed were the result of his personal, innate genius.
"Taking into consideration Jobs' legal bills you have to value the estate in the minus category," probate lawyers specialising in complex PR scams commented today.
Personal family bequests and trust arrangements ensure close relatives won't actually be skint; but the mythology behind Jobs' supposed $7 billion wealth will now be made public to set the record straight.
Share prices rose on news of the lawsuit filing as the technology industry braced itself for more revelations.
A public statement is expected on Monday next week.
