Ex Real Housewives star fights billionaire and R’n’B singer sister over Toorak house
A former Real Housewives of Melbourne star who believes a luxe Toorak home was gifted to her with a thumb print, is embroiled in a bitter legal dispute.
Fiona Byrne
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Former Real Housewives of Melbourne star Venus Behbahani is suing Melbourne billionaire Alex Waislitz and her sister Rebekah Behbahani - Mr Waislitz’s fiancé - over a Toorak home she believes was gifted to her in a document sealed with a thumb print.
The reality TV personality launched legal action against Waislitz’s company Thorney Equities Pty Ltd in the Victorian Supreme Court on Thursday.
Waislitz and Rebekah are named as co-defendants.
The dispute revolves around the ownership of a luxury property in Canberra Road, which is held by Thorney Equities.
In late 2019 Waislitz and Rebekah, who were in a de facto relationship, briefly split.
They quickly rekindled and now have a daughter.
However in December 2019, while still apart, Waislitz and Rebekah drew up a financial agreement that, it is claimed in court documents, gave the Toorak property, which comprises two homes, to Rebekah two years from the date of the agreement.
It is claimed Rebekah later promised to give one of the homes to Venus as part of a Deed of Gift between the sisters.
“The deed is writing, signed by (Rebekah), sealed with an impression of her thumb print and delivered to (Venus),” the Statement of Claim reads.
The deed was drawn up “in exchange for (Venus) agreeing to resign as a director of Behbahani Productions Pty Ltd (now called RB Noms Pty Ltd), and agreeing to transfer her 50 per cent shareholding in Behbahani Productions to (Rebekah) … upon completion of the transfer of the Land.”
Despite the separation not going ahead and the property remaining in the ownership of Thorney Equities, Venus claims that as of December 2021 she was entitled to have the Toorak townhouse signed over to her.
In October last year she slapped a caveat on the property.
Venus - who is named in the court document as Venous Vanessa Behbahani - is asking the court to declare her as the owner of townhouse two on the Toorak block and to order Thorney Equities Pty Ltd to transfer title to her.
A spokesman for Waislitz and Rebekah said: “The claim is denied and will be vigorously defended.”
Meanwhile Rebekah and Waislitz are very much together, with Waislitz appearing by his fiance’s side as she launched her R’n’B music career with a performance at the Afrobeats festival in Nigeria in December.
Rebekah - known as Behani in music circles - has performed with US hit maker Ne-Yo, recorded with top producer Scott Storch and has released two singles Real Man and Let Me Know.
More releases are planned this year through her independent label Stormness Records, which is named after her and Waislitz’s daughter, Storm.
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