Billionaire’s luxury holiday disrupted after Greek villa robbed

A Perth billionaire’s lavish overseas getaway has taken a turn after thieves broke into his private villa and stole a fortune in designer goods.

An extravagant European holiday has taken an unfortunate turn for Perth billionaire Laurence Escalante after thieves reportedly broke into his villa on the Greek island of Mykonos, making off with a haul of high-end goods worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The break-in reportedly occurred on Mr Escalante’s first night on the island, with luxury watches, designer clothing, and cash among the stolen items, according to the Daily Mail.

Perth billionaire Laurence Escalante’s Mykonos villa has been targeted by thieves. Picture: Instagram

The 42-year-old founder of Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW) had been documenting his lavish summer escape on Instagram, sharing images of sun-soaked days aboard a mega yacht and nights partying in hotspots across the French Riviera and Greek Islands.

He was also reportedly spotted at Scorpios Beach Club wearing a Richard Mille x Pharrell watch said to be worth about $1m.

Mr Escalante is best known for his company Virtual Gaming Worlds, which is behind online gambling site Chumba Casino. Picture: Instagram

Mr Escalante, a father of four, has built a tech empire from humble beginnings.

VGW is valued at more than $6bn, and his personal net worth is estimated at $4.37bn thanks to his majority stake.

VGW is best known for its internet phenomenon Chumba Casino, with most business coming from the US.

In a recent interview with The Australian, Mr Escalante reflected on his rise.

“I’m just a kid from Perth with immigrant parents who grew up, had an idea, invented something and kept trying,” he said.

“This is my fourth or fifth business. I’m just like a lot of other people, having a crack.”

Originally published as Billionaire’s luxury holiday disrupted after Greek villa robbed