A South Florida billionaire accused of killing a University of Central Florida student in an alleged drunken driving crash has made a move that is raising eyebrows.

He legally adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend, and legal experts say he did it to protect his riches.

Deputies in West Palm Beach said John Goodman was drunk when he crashed into a car driven by a 23-year-old UCF student Scott Wilson in 2010.

An attorney for Wilson's parents said the adoption is just a clever attempt by Goodman to shield his assets from a wrongful death lawsuit.

"Here, she becomes a beneficiary of a trust and arguably because she's 42 years old is now immediately entitled to her prorate or 1/3 share of the trust,” said John Moran, a trust attorney. "It should be interesting.  This battle is long from over."

Legal experts are split on the move. Some think it is a brilliant maneuver. Other people think that a judge could easily toss out the adoption.

Goodman will go to trial on DUI manslaughter charges next month.