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Business tycoon jailed after wife left him for Cesc Fabregas wins £4.5M court battle
Elie Taktouk, once married to model Daniella Semaan, won a £4.5 million appeal after being convicted of property fraud.
A millionaire businessman, whose marriage ended in scandal when his wife left him for football star Cesc Fabregas, has now won a £4.5 million legal battle after being convicted of property fraud, as reported by The Sun.
Elie Taktouk, a wealthy property developer, was married to Lebanese model Daniella Semaan for 13 years before their split in 2011. The breakup came after Daniella fell for former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Fabregas, leading to a messy and highly publicised divorce. As part of the settlement, Taktouk lost their £5.5 million Belgravia home to his ex-wife and her new partner.
In the years that followed, Taktouk became entangled in a fraudulent property scheme, ultimately landing him in jail in 2021 with a seven-year sentence. His crimes revolved around a multi-million-pound redevelopment scam in Knightsbridge, where he misused investor funds to finance his extravagant lifestyle. Despite being ordered to repay £4.5 million, he claimed he lacked the means to do so. A judge warned that failure to pay would result in an additional eight years behind bars.
However, Taktouk has now secured the right to appeal that order. The Court of Appeal has agreed to review fresh evidence from his brother, Dr. Wassim Taktouk, who is managing their late father’s estate. Their father, Youssef Taktouk, was a wealthy businessman in Nigeria, with an estimated fortune of £187 million. Taktouk insists he had no control over the family business and was unaware of the extent of his father’s wealth.
Despite his financial struggles in court, Taktouk was found to be living lavishly. He drove a Porsche, rented a Kensington property for £21,000 per month, and spent nearly £80,000 at Harrods over several years.
Meanwhile, Daniella and Fabregas have built a new life together in Italy. Married in 2018, they have three children, while Fabregas now manages Serie A club Como.
