Khaberni - In an incident that shook the financial and social circles in the United States, 93-year-old American real estate billionaire Donald Bren, one of the country's wealthiest businessmen with an estimated fortune of $19 billion, disowned his son David Bren (33 years old), after the latter became involved in a fraud scandal that targeted wealthy and famous individuals from the worlds of finance and sports.
According to the "New York Post", the story began when David launched a luxurious project called "The Bunker", promising through it to provide its elite wealthy members with a unique experience that includes exclusive access to luxurious cars like Ferrari, Bugatti, and Porsche, along with lavish dinner parties and the finest types of wine and cigars.
However, it soon became clear that the project was nothing more than a finely crafted illusion to deceive investors, after they lost more than two million dollars in what was described as a "non-existent car club on paper".
Shining Faces
According to the newspaper, "The Bunker" included notable names such as Mark Cuban from "Shark Tank", oil heir August Getty, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and basketball star Kristaps Porzingis, who were supposed to pay $14,500 monthly for an elite membership.
In the midst of the scandal, a spokesperson for the Bren real estate empire issued a brief 12-word statement saying: "We have no personal or business relationship with this individual."
Cold Statement
A cold and definitive statement from the wealthy father, who completely refused to rescue his son or mediate for him, confirming that he has no connection to him, as "Washington Post" revealed that the last meeting between father and son was in a courtroom in 2010.
The case took on a tragic dimension when one of the investors, businessman Tony Chin, was found hanged in his garage in 2022 after losing a huge amount in the project.
The reports indicate that David manipulated his victims' emotions, at times posing as the "ostracized son" and suggesting that he was in direct contact with his billionaire father.
Lawsuits
Entrepreneur Nancy Lu, who lost $100,000 in the project, said: "David swore to me that he had a contract to buy the Beverly Hills Hotel, and took me to a luxurious event he claimed was sponsored by Louis Vuitton, but there was no sign to prove that."
As lawsuits piled up, investors began demanding their money back, but most only recovered crumbs, while David remained out of sight, refusing to answer calls or emails.
The story is not only about financial fraud but also reveals a complex family drama that traces back to an old legal dispute between Donald Bren and his former girlfriend Jennifer McKay Gold, David's mother, who filed a spousal support lawsuit in 2003, but it ended in his favor after he paid about $9 million to settle the support claims.
