Billionaire Alki David Nabs $19 Million Malibu Mansion
It’s already been a rough 2019 for eccentric billionaire Alkiviades “Alki” David. The 51-year-old Hologram USA founder — he’s the guy who visually resurrected Tupac and Michael Jackson for performances at Coachella and the Billboard Music Awards, respectively — has been fighting a pesky series of lawsuits from former employees. Among other things, the suits describe a nightmarish work environment — David allegedly forced associates to watch pornography, touched them inappropriately, and even hired a male stripper for an in-office birthday celebration. One ex-employee, Chasity Jones, claimed she was fired for refusing to have sex with David. That case ultimately went before a jury earlier this year.
As one might expect, the sensational trial was more akin to a cheesy soap opera — or a rerun of “The Office” — than a normal, strait-laced courtroom event. At one hearing, David performed a partial striptease, prompting the judge to threaten summoning the sheriff. On another occasion, he screamed at high-profile attorney Lisa Bloom — the representative of his accuser — branding her a “liar” and adding “do something with your life, woman.” The jury eventually levied a whopping $11 million verdict against him. According to Bloom, the judgment is one of the biggest on record for a sexual harassment case.
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The hotheaded thrice-divorced tycoon is a member of the Leventis clan, a Greek family that has made billions through their ownership of Coca-Cola bottling facilities around the globe. With monies earned through their vast carbonated empire, they have diversified into manufacturing, property, and shipping. Suffice to say that David has the cash to satisfy several $11 million verdicts.
For the record, however, David has not yet paid Jones, vowing to appeal what he terms an “unfair and unjust judgment.” During a subsequent TV interview — during which he unceremoniously unzipped his pants and admitted walking around his office partially clothed — he labeled the verdict “ridiculous” and vehemently denied “all of Ms. Jones’s allegations including her allegations of harassment.”
In response, Bloom fired back with an interview of her own. “Paying judgments is not optional. We will take everything he has until the judgment is satisfied,” she said, adding that Chasity Jones would “look fabulous driving around in [David’s] Rolls Royce.”
But if he’s concerned, David has not shown it publicly. In fact, the Greek-born tycoon has celebrated his loss — he’s been seen joyriding around LA in his Rolls Royce Dawn convertible. And last week, he dropped a whopping $19.1 million on an oceanfront mansion on Old Malibu Road, set right atop what is arguably one of the city’s best beaches.
The seller, who owned the property since 1992, was elderly cosmetics heiress Elizabeth Luster. A granddaughter of makeup pioneer Max Factor, she is also the mother of Andrew Luster, the wayward heir convicted of date-raping multiple women and currently serving a 50-year prison sentence.
Like many Malibu oceanfront homes, this property sits cheek-to-jowl with its neighbors. Still, there’s substantial privacy — from the street, only the detached two-car garage (and upstairs guest suite) is visible. The garage and main house are connected by a long pathway that meanders through a lush courtyard.
The wood-sheathed house was originally built in 1974 and features four bedrooms. An open-concept living space has an eat-in kitchen, formal dining room and a surprisingly large step-down living/great room. The master suite includes a balcony overlooking the sea and the backyard — where there’s a pool and expansive wooden deck.
This is not David’s first time on the Malibu real estate rodeo — he previously leased an oceanfront home behind the guarded gates of the illustrious Malibu Colony. Some of his new neighbors include former L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling, billionaires Tom & Alec Gores, and NYC real estate mogul Edward Minskoff.
And before moving out to Malibu, David — who also owns lavish vacation residences in Greece and London — bunked up in Beverly Hills, in a massive Mediterranean-style manse he bought in 2010 for $16.5 million. In 2017, he sold that place for $20.4 million to real estate mogul (and convicted felon) Victorino Noval.
The Agency’s Santiago Arana and Doug Carroll of Pinnacle Estate Properties had the Malibu listing. Jordan Wright of Compass repped David.
Launch Gallery: Billionaire Alki David Nabs $19 million Malibu Mansion
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