Jeff Bezos Buys House at Discounted Price but Seller Sues Realtor; Here's Why

Florida: A Brazilian entrepreneur has filed a lawsuit against a real estate agent, alleging that he was deceived into selling his Miami Beach mansion at a discounted price to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The businessman, Leo Kryss, co-founder of the Brazilian toy and electronics company Tectoy, claims the realtor concealed the identity of the buyer and misled him into accepting $79 million for the property—$6 million below its listed price.

'Billionaire Bunker' Mansion Sold at Discounted Price, Seller Sues Realtor 

According to the lawsuit, reported by The Wall Street Journal, Kryss had originally placed his seven-bedroom mansion, located in the exclusive Indian Creek Village, on the market for $85 million. The home, with 19,000 square feet of living space and 11 1/2 bathrooms, sits in an affluent area often referred to as the "Billionaire Bunker." However, Kryss alleges that real estate firm Douglas Elliman, which managed the sale, informed him that the buyer would not pay more than $79 million. The businessman is now suing the real estate company Douglas Elliman of $6 million, which he was deprived of during sell. 

Jeff Bezos Hides Identity to Buy House at Discounted Price?

Kryss had reportedly asked Douglas Elliman’s CEO, Jay Parker, whether Bezos was buying the property and involved in the deal, but Parker is said to have denied any connection to the Amazon founder. Kryss now claims he unknowingly agreed to the sale at a reduced price without knowing that he was selling his house to second richest man in the world, a detail he believes would have influenced his decision. Kryss was forfeited of this information, and he sold his house at discounted price. 

"Wealthy individuals often shield their identities throughout the process of purchasing a home, from the initial showing through the closing," Miami real estate agent Danny Hertzberg told WSJ. "Many billionaires, when they're purchasing a property, are concerned that when the seller knows their identity, they're going to want a larger number," he said.

Who Else Buy Property at Indian Creek Island

In recent years, Indian Creek Island has become a hub for the ultra-wealthy, attracting high-profile residents such as Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. Bezos, who relocated to Miami from Seattle in February of last year, now owns more than four acres of bayfront property on the island. Kryss, meanwhile, is pursuing fraud charges against Douglas Elliman, claiming he was deprived of the full value of his estate due to the realtor's alleged misrepresentation.