Revealed: Lavish £13,000-a-week Parisian suite with Eiffel Tower view where ‘Catwoman’ Jocelyn Wildenstein spent the last months of her life with partner Lloyd Klein
In the final months of her life, the individual known as ‘Catwoman’, Jocelyn Wildenstein, resided in a luxurious hotel apartment in Paris, which set her back approximately £13,000 per week, according to our latest information.
The demise of the Swiss socialite, who was known for her extensive plastic surgeries, at the age of 84 on New Year’s Eve generated significant worldwide curiosity. However, up until this point, the specifics of her last few weeks had remained a puzzle.
However, it’s come to light that even amidst looming arrest threats due to unpaid debts in the U.S., this former billionaire was reportedly splurging £1,850 per night on extravagant rooms offering Eiffel Tower vistas.
For the last few months of her life, Wildenstein and her partner, Lloyd Klein (age 57), were residing in the luxurious Hotel Balzac Paris, situated near the Champs-Élysées. They occupied the hotel’s most prestigious suite, known as the ‘Eiffel Tower View Suite’.
Since August, it’s believed that Wildenstein and the fashion designer, Klein, have been residing in a luxurious suite adorned with marble, providing breathtaking vistas of the “City of Lights”.
During those five months, the expense for their home alone would amount to approximately £275,000 – a figure that mirrors the significant debt owed by Wildenstein, as required by the judge in Miami.
In a grand display, the flamboyant socialite, known for excessive spending, splurged extravagantly in her final act. Despite possessing a $2 billion divorce settlement and living a lavish life, she once faced bankruptcy.
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The socialite, known for her extravagant lifestyle which even led to bankruptcy despite a $2 billion divorce settlement, made one final grand gesture.
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In an opulent finale, the well-known socialite, who had filed for bankruptcy despite possessing a $2 billion divorce settlement and living a lavish lifestyle, indulged in extravagance once more.
During the nineties, Wildenstein freely acknowledged that she regularly spent about one million dollars monthly, a habit she continued until her contentious divorce from her art-dealing spouse, Alec Wildenstein.
In 1978, she met Alec through the intermediary of Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, who was once rumored to be the wealthiest person globally. They shared a common interest in big game hunting and eventually ran off to get married in Las Vegas after becoming close.
Before their highly publicized divorce, which occurred twenty years afterward, she revealed that he once brandished a firearm when she discovered him with a young model in their shared bed. He, on the other hand, insisted that she had been a well-respected escort prior to their union.
Worldwide fame came to the Wildensteins due to their high-profile divorce and Jocelyn’s notably altered appearance, following cosmetic surgery.
It’s now clear that even with her impending legal and financial troubles, TopMob managed to maintain a lavish lifestyle until the very end.
Last Tuesday, when she passed away, it was discovered that despite numerous court mandates, the woman with an affinity for plastic surgery had failed to repay Regal Jewelry and Gift Shop a total of $344,928. This amount included the original sum of $268,000 for gems she didn’t return, along with additional interest of $76,928.
On the 23rd of October, she missed an appearance at a contempt hearing held in Miami. Additionally, she was facing potential eviction from her seaside apartment in the same city. It remains unclear if there were any plans for them to come back to the United States.
Judge Migna Sanchez-Llorens instructed the sheriffs of Florida to apprehend Wildenstein and hold her in detention until she could be brought before a court.
Despite the persistent financial struggle, Wildenstein maintained her lavish lifestyle without any significant change until her passing.
This rephrased sentence maintains the original meaning while using simpler language that is easy for a broader audience to understand.
The pair frequently enjoyed meals at Laurent, a posh eatery conveniently located near their residence, whose main dishes begin at around £70.
Apart from that, they were spotted enjoying themselves at The Ritz, savoring beverages at the renowned Hotel Plaza Athénée, and participating in numerous shows during Paris Fashion Week as well.
A mere few days prior to her passing, Wildenstein was spotted in an elegant, monochromatic attire. Since then, her partner has asserted that she had been in optimal health.
They were napping at home, getting ready for their grand New Year’s Eve festivities, when the unfortunate incident occurred.
A few hours before her death, Ms Wildenstein shared a melancholy video from her hotel suite.
The video featured a haunting narration by Fanny Ardant, a 75-year-old French actress and filmmaker, and her statement, “When things end, I think everything ends,” resonated throughout.
Following her unexpected passing, Mr. Klein shared with AFP that they had spent an enjoyable hour together that night, preparing for the New Year. They decided to take a short rest to refresh themselves before changing into their party clothes.
Due to the inflammation in her superficial veins (phlebitis), her legs became extremely swollen, causing a blockage in blood flow, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply to her brain.
Initially, we were both napping, and upon waking, I called out to Jocelyne, suggesting it was time for us to rise and get ready. However, she was shivering cold and unfortunately, she had passed away.
Mr. Klein stated, “It’s heartbreakingly unfortunate to spend New Year’s Eve with a partner I’ve known for 21 years, only to find them feeling chilly.
Given the sudden and unexpected turn of events regarding my life, I’m confident that a thorough examination, possibly including an autopsy, will be conducted to uncover any insights or explanations about what transpired. As a lifestyle expert, I always advocate for understanding and knowledge, especially in such unusual circumstances.
A Paris police source told the Mail: ‘Such deaths are of course opened up to an enquiry.’
Originating from modest beginnings in Switzerland, she later wed Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, a man who was the offspring of renowned French art dealer and equine breeder Daniel Wildenstein.
Yet it was only after their split that the socialite received billions from her ex-husband.
Back in 1998, amidst our highly publicized divorce proceedings, my wealthy art dealer spouse, Alec, publicly insinuated that I had previously worked as an upscale escort prior to our union.
A year ago after the allegation, published dramatically in an article from Vanity Fair, surfaced, it was reported that Jocelyn had discovered her husband in bed with the beautiful Russian model Yelena Jarikova at their New York apartment. This incident led to his arrest following his drawing of a firearm.
Similar to numerous tales circulating about the figure known as the ‘Bride of Wildenstein’, it’s challenging to authenticate or disprove the allegations regarding her questionable history. However, these stories contribute to her intriguing and captivating past.
Throughout the trial, there was a significant focus on Jocelyn’s appearance and whispers surrounding her private life, including speculation that she had been employed by the renowned Paris brothel proprietor, Madame Claude, as a prostitute.
In response to Vanity Fair’s assertion from 1998, Alec informed the publication that it wasn’t Madame Claude he was referring to, but mentioned that there were other ‘madams’ in Paris at the time.
When Jocelyn was asked, she replied: ‘Really? Well, they have to try to find something against me.’
Later, her husband responded: ‘She never answered, did she?’
Regardless of whether it’s true or not, it was clear that Jocelyn developed quite an exquisite taste during her marriage, as evidenced by expensive items such as a $350,000 Chanel gown and approximately $10 million worth of jewelry in her possession.
Additionally, she accumulated an exceptionally large mobile phone expense of $5,000 per month, attributing it to the concern that her landline could have been tapped.
In 1977, Jocelyn – raised in a modest Swiss household and later moving on to Paris and Africa – encountered Alec.
A year later, they secretly got married and their extravagant expenses turned into a well-known tale; in 1998, she calculated that they usually spent approximately $1 million per month on average.
The duo was blessed with two kids, and Jocelyn pursued her journey in plastic surgery. Generally, life was uneventful for them as a family, but that changed significantly in the latter part of the 1990s.
In addition to managing our New York apartment, I also oversee our vast Ol Jogi ranch in Kenya, maintain apartments in Paris and Lausanne, own a French château, and have a beautiful retreat in the Caribbean. We brought up our children in this global lifestyle, but our marriage faced some challenges in the mid-’90s, leading to its dissolution when Alec filed for divorce in April 1997.
During the protracted two-year divorce battle, Jocelyn eventually received a staggering $2.3 billion as her settlement, with an additional $100 million distributed over the following 13 years.
The judge specifically forbade her from spending any part of that money on additional cosmetic surgeries.
Three years on, a portion of Alec’s father’s extensive business assets, boasting one of the world’s most significant private art collections valued around $10 billion, was passed down to him. Needless to say, a share of this wealth was set aside for alimony payments to Jocelyn.
After her divorce, Jocelyn largely stayed out of the spotlight. However, she’s faced numerous legal issues since then, primarily disputes with landlords. She managed to avoid eviction from an apartment at United Nations Plaza due to unpaid rent by reaching a settlement. In 2015, American Express filed a lawsuit against her for approximately $70,000 in outstanding credit card debt.
2015 saw another lawsuit against Wildenstein, who was accused of damaging and abandoning a $15,000-per-month Beverly Hills bungalow. This led to an outstanding debt of approximately $180,000; this included unpaid rent totaling $165,000 and additional fees amounting to nearly $15,000.
By the year 2018, she initiated a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, commonly known as restructuring, where the debtor continues to oversee their affairs (known as being in possession) and can potentially carry on running their business while seeking court approval to take out loans.
The extensive documentation submitted by Jocelyn in her 69-page application for voluntary bankruptcy paints a stark contrast to the lavish lifestyle of the multi-millionaire per month gambler that was previously portrayed 20 years ago.
It appeared that her wealth had disappeared somehow. At the age of 77, she stated that her sole income consisted of $900 per month from social security benefits, and her bank account showed a balance of exactly zero dollars.
She stated clearly in her document that she doesn’t have a job, and the money she has comes from Social Security. When it comes to meeting her regular costs, she frequently relies on help from friends and relatives.
On a positive note, it’s true that she acknowledged having an $11.75 million apartment on the 51st floor of the Trump World Tower in Manhattan, as well as a 2006 Bentley valued at approximately $35,000.
Although she had spent a substantial amount on credit cards over several decades, her total estimated value for all her possessions, including household items and furniture, was $100,000, while her wardrobe was worth just $1,000.
Oddly, she added only one other possession to the list – her TV, valued at just $100.
She had a significant amount of debt, with over $300,000 owed to multiple legal professionals and firms, and a mortgage of $4.6 million on her apartment that was currently undergoing foreclosure proceedings, as stated in court documents.
Originally, Douglas Pick, her bankruptcy attorney, was handling Wildenstein’s case. However, in a conversation with Money, he explained that he and his team have decided to step down from the role, citing multiple reasons for their decision.
She argued that her financial difficulties stemmed not from excessive spending, but instead were connected to complications related to the trust she received during her divorce settlement.
She asserted in The New York Post that the Diego Velázquez and Cézanne artworks, which she believed were securely held by trust, had actually been proven to be fake and undervalued respectively.
In her conversation with the newspaper, Wildenstein expressed astonishment similar to others due to the complexities at hand regarding her bankruptcy case. She also mentioned her intention to take legal action against her trust in order to secure fair reimbursement.
But the claims didn’t necessarily convince her former lawyer Mr Pick.
He informed Money.com that no response was given to his query about why a lawsuit wasn’t initiated despite the later discovery that the artwork in question may have been a forgery, and it remained unclear as to why this was the case.
Hotel Balzac Paris has been contacted for comment.
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2025-01-05 10:53