Petra Ecclestone to sue builder over £1.6million which went missing when he was renovating her mansion

  • Petra Stunt, daughter of Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, is suing the builder who took charge of renovations on her Chelsea home
  • Paul Fleury, 45, allegedly created invoices for companies which didn't exist
  • Fleury is accused of transferring the money to accounts controlled by him
  • Petra bought Sloane House in 2012 for £70million and set aside £25million for building work including a pool, gym, and underground car park

By Dominic Prince

PUBLISHED: 17:39 EST, 8 February 2014 | UPDATED: 17:39 EST, 8 February 2014

Petra Stunt, 25 (pictured with husband James), bought Sloane House for £70million in February 2012 and asked friend Paul Fleury to take charge of the renovations

Petra Stunt, 25 (pictured with husband James), bought Sloane House for £70million in February 2012 and asked friend Paul Fleury to take charge of the renovations

The daughter of Formula 1 billionaire Bernie Ecclestone is suing a trusted friend who was in charge of restoring her £100 million Chelsea mansion, saying he siphoned £1.6 million into his private bank accounts.

Petra Stunt, 25, bought one of London’s most magnificent townhouses, Sloane House, for £70 million in February 2012 and appointed Paul Fleury, 45, to oversee lavish renovations.

The socialite had a budget of £25 million to transform the historic building in West London, including a new wing, featuring a pool, gymnasium and underground car park.

But last year the family discovered that Fleury – a friend who had worked for them for the past seven years and was paid £7,000 a month to manage the renovation work – was allegedly forging invoices from companies that did not exist and paying them into bank accounts controlled by him.

In the writ served by Princess Diana’s former lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, it is alleged Fleury is a ‘sophisticated fraudster’ who sent Petra the invoices via a company she owns called Sloane House Ltd.

It was a clearly a step too far for the flamboyant Petra who, alongside  sister Tamara, 29, is often portrayed as spending ‘Daddy’s billions’ with barely a thought for the bottom line.

When Petra married art collector James Stunt, her mother Slavica justified the £12 million cost of the three-day nuptials as ‘worth every penny’.

 

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When she bought Sloane House,  formerly owned by Tory peer Lord Bamford, friends quipped ‘it will give Petra something to do’.

Petra alleges that family friend Fleury billed her with fake invoices worth £1.6million and siphoned off the money into accounts controlled by him

Petra alleges that family friend Fleury billed her with fake invoices worth £1.6million and siphoned off the money into accounts controlled by him

Fleury says his payments had been verbally agreed with Petra and that they were ‘commissions’ – a claim denied by the Ecclestones.

Fleury helped to renovate and restore eight family properties, he said, including one in Switzerland. He told The Mail on Sunday that he had considered himself a ‘family friend’ and had attended Petra’s wedding.

He added: ‘It’s a complicated story. I am surprised the Ecclestone family want this coming to court.’

A spokesman for Petra said: ‘As this is before the courts at present, we  cannot comment.’

Comments (5)

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If he was doing anything substantial in overseeing the renos of as many as eight properties, then they should have paid him decently. $10,000 a month is nothing, especially for these people. Why steal 10% when you can earn 25% honestly? They also could have had him bonded, but they didn't.

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Property renovations cost les than you imagine.

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You know, she is rich but being ripped off HURTS no matter how much money you have...especially if its by someone you thought was a true friend that you trusted with you best interests at heart. Listen, if you have money you have to be really careful. It happened to me... Hope she wins and gets everything back that was illegally stolen plus damages for heartache.

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Her dad's got more money than she's got sense.

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These people inhabit a parallel universe where us menials don't get a look in.......!

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