Socialite Faces Bankruptcy After Assets Frozen in Money-Laundering Case
James Stunt, once a wealthy socialite, is now bankrupt after his assets were frozen during a money-laundering investigation
James Stunt, Bernie Ecclestone, Money Laundering, Bankruptcy, Leeds, UK
Leeds: So, James Stunt, a well-known socialite, is in a bit of a pickle. He’s gone bankrupt after his assets were frozen due to a money-laundering investigation. Can you believe it? The court revealed that he’s been holed up at home, kind of like Howard Hughes, since everything went down.
Stunt, who used to be married to Bernie Ecclestone’s daughter, is one of five guys on trial for allegedly turning dirty money into gold. Prosecutors claim he let his fancy Mayfair office be used for this shady business, which involved a whopping £200 million over two years. That’s a lot of cash!
Between 2014 and 2016, they were moving money from all over the UK to Stunt’s gold business in London and a couple of other places. They’re accused of washing the money through a company account and then buying gold to ship off to Dubai. Sounds like a movie plot, right?
When the judge froze his assets back in 2018, Stunt had to list everything he owned. We’re talking eight cars, six properties, and even £30 million worth of rare wines. He joked about the wine being a good investment, even though he doesn’t drink it. But once he disclosed all that, everything was frozen, and he was left with just £1,000 a week to live on.
He admitted he went bankrupt within a year and said he fought against it. After everything fell apart, including the death of his brother and his divorce, he really isolated himself. By 2020, he felt like he was already in lockdown before the pandemic hit. It’s a tough situation for him.
Stunt grew up in a wealthy family and went to private schools, but he struggled with ADHD. He met Ecclestone’s daughter in 2006, and they had a big wedding in 2011, but things went south, and they divorced in 2017. He mentioned they had a prenup that would limit him to £16 million if they split.
He also talked about how close he was to Bernie Ecclestone, but their relationship changed after the divorce. The trial is still ongoing, and the other defendants are denying the charges. It’s a wild story, and it’s not over yet!