A Miami Beach homeowner is suing Douglas Elliman, claiming the real estate firm misled him about the identity of the buyer of his $79 million mansion, potentially costing him millions, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
Leo Kryss, a Brazilian businessman and former owner of a sprawling estate on Indian Creek Island, put his residence up for sale May 2023, according to the WSJ. He reportedly inquired if Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was the purchaser when he received an offer for his waterfront property, according to the lawsuit. The property is located in the “Billionaire Bunker,” with residents like Jared Kushner and Tom Brady, the outlet reported.
The seller claims if he had known Bezos was the buyer trying to acquire adjacent properties, it would have changed his decision-making process. Now, he’s suing Douglas Elliman, which received a $3 million commission for the sale.https://t.co/m8u3Wbtjh3
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Kryss had listed the seven-bedroom mansion, complete with a wine cellar and theater, for $85 million, The Wall Street Journal reported. After receiving a $79 million offer, Kryss claims he sought clarification, according to the outlet. Douglas Elliman CEO Jay Parker allegedly assured him that Bezos was not the buyer and that the purchaser would not pay more than the offered amount in a call, the outlet reported. (RELATED: J-Lo, Ben Affleck List Mansion For Eye-Watering Price Amid Suspected Divorce)
After the deal closed, Kryss reportedly discovered the mansion was indeed sold to an entity connected to Bezos, according to the complaint. The tech billionaire had recently purchased the neighboring property for $68 million, the WSJ reported. Kryss filed suit claiming a loss of $6 million dollars and alleging that Bezos was trying to join the properties together, people familiar with the matter told the outlet.
Kryss’ attorney, Dana Clayton, accused the realtor of misrepresentation in a statement to the WSJ. “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,” Clayton reportedly said.
Kryss declined to comment to the outlet. The WSJ could not contact Bezos on the matter. A Douglas Elliman spokesperson reportedly declined to comment on the case as it is ongoing.