Bitter court battle over Jeff Bezos’ new mega mansion
Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is being hauled into a court battle by a disgruntled fellow rich-lister over a mega money property deal gone sour.
It’s a case of seller beware.
The man who sold Jeff Bezos his US$79 million (A$116m) mansion in a tiny part of Miami Beach is suing the real estate agent who handled the transaction because it concealed the fact that the buyer of the 2.8-acre estate was the Amazon founder — potentially costing him as much as US$6 million
The New York Post reports, Leo Kryss, co-founder of Brazilian toy and electronics company Tectoy, filed suit against Douglas Elliman, whose CEO is alleged to have told the mogul personally that Bezos was not the buyer of the home.
MORE: Real reason Mariah Carey and James Packer split
Kryss was the owner of the seven-bedroom, 14-bathroom abode that hugs the waterfront on Indian Creek Island — also known as “billionaire bunker” whose famous residents include Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump and football legend Tom Brady.
The Brazilian mogul bought the property, which boasts a wine cellar, library, theatre and pool in 2014 for US$28 million.
In May of last year, Kryss put the mansion up for sale — with a listing price of US$85 million. A month later, Bezos, who has a net worth valued by Bloomberg Billionaires Index at US$202 billion, bought the property located just next door — a three-bedroom, three-bathroom home — for US$68 million
A short time later, Kryss received a US$79 million offer for his estate, according to the Journal. The businessman then inquired as to whether Bezos is the one who put forward the offer.
MORE: Michael Jordan finally rid of abandoned mansion
According to the lawsuit filed in Florida state court, Douglas Elliman CEO Jay Parker personally phoned Kryss and assured him that Bezos was not the buyer and that the purchaser would not agree to go above $79 million for the property.
Kryss then agreed to cut the asking price by 7.1 per cent. But after closing, he learned that the purchaser was indeed an entity tied to Bezos.
Real estate agents say it is common for wealthy buyers to shield their identity throughout the purchasing process due to concerns that the seller could inflate the asking price if they knew the name of the person with whom they were dealing
MORE: Sex homes: Shock reveal where Aussies do the deed
Had Kryss known that Bezos was the buyer and that he intended to purchase the property next door to one he already owns, he would not have agreed to cut the listing price, according to the lawsuit
He alleged in the court filing that “it was highly material to his negotiations and his decision on the ultimate sales price … to know whether Bezos was … attempting to anonymously acquire the home in order to assemble it with the adjoining property.
Douglas Elliman declined to comment.
An attorney for Kryss, Dana Clayton of the Miami-based law firm Akerman, told the Wall Strett Journal: “Douglas Elliman failed to fulfill their duties to our client. … They knew or should have known who the ultimate beneficial purchaser was and misrepresented that very important fact to our client.”
MORE: Aussies suburbs where home prices are set to crash
The complaint alleges that the agent who handled the sale, Celine Klepach, is the daughter of Benny Klepach, the mayor of Indian Creek.
Parker is said to have told Kryss that he was led to believe that the property was being bought for the Klepach family, the Journal reported.
Celine Klepach, who is alleged to have pocketed a commission from the sale, left Douglas Elliman weeks ago, according to the report. She told the Journal: “I wasn’t involved in the deal. ”MORE: 20yo OnlyFans twins’ bizarre $6m demand
Bezos purchased the properties after he announced early last year that he was decamping from his longtime hometown of Seattle for Miami.
Parts of this article originally appeared in the New York Post and are republished here with permission.
MORE: ‘Think carefully’: Australia’s property trap
Originally published as Bitter court battle over Jeff Bezos’ new mega mansion
Socialite influencer’s ‘unbridled’ $10m windfall
Socialite influencer Nadia Fairfax is readying herself for a very big payday.
Friends with benefits: first homebuyers’ secrets to success
This is how and where the new wave of Aussie first-homebuyers are getting the keys to their dream property.
Des Hasler severs final link with Manly
NRL supercoach Des Hasler has cut his final ties to his once-beloved Manly.