Businessman jailed after losing Rs 57 crore home in divorce to wife who left him for Cesc Fabregas, now wins...

A millionaire businessman, whose marriage ended in controversy when his wife left him for football star Cesc Fabregas, has now won a Rs 47 crore legal battle after being convicted of property fraud, as reported by The Sun.

Elie Taktouk, a wealthy property developer, married Lebanese model Daniella Semaan for 13 years before their publicised split in 2011. Their marriage ended when Daniella fell in love with former Arsenal and Chelsea footballer Cesc Fabregas. Following the divorce, Taktouk lost their luxurious Rs 57 crore Belgravia home to Daniella and her new partner.

After his personal life made headlines, Taktouk found himself in legal trouble. In a multi-crore real estate scam in Knightsbridge, London, he was convicted of property fraud. He misused investor funds to fund his lavish lifestyle, which led to his imprisonment in 2021 with a seven-year sentence. The court ordered him to repay Rs 47 crore, but he claimed he didn’t have the money. A judge warned that if he failed to pay, his prison term could be extended by another eight years.

Now, Taktouk has secured the right to challenge this repayment order. The Court of Appeal has agreed to review new evidence presented by his brother, Dr. Wassim Taktouk. Wassim is handling their late father’s estate, which reportedly holds an estimated fortune of Rs 1,960 crore. Their father, Youssef Taktouk, was a wealthy businessman in Nigeria. Elie Taktouk claims he had no access to the family’s wealth and was unaware of how much money his father had.

Despite pleading financial difficulties in court, Taktouk was seen living a lavish lifestyle. He drove a Porsche, lived in a Rs 2.2 crore per month rental property in Kensington, and spent nearly Rs 8.2 crore at Harrods over the years.

Meanwhile, Daniella Semaan and Cesc Fabregas have moved on and built a life together in Italy. They got married in 2018 and have three children. Fabregas is now the manager of the Serie A club, Como.