Saudi officials have declined to comment on the report, which comes after French investigative website Mediapart similarly pointed to the prince as the owner in July. Fortune magazine reported at the time of the 2015 sale that the Chateau Louis XIV – which has fountains that can be controlled by iPhone – had smashed records to become the world’s priciest home. On the outside, the mansion looks like a 17th-century chateau in the style of the palace at nearby Versailles, but it is in fact a new-build that went up after its Saudi developer bulldozed the existing 19th-century property.
When Bin Salman purchased the Chateau Louis XIV – he didn’t want anyone to know about it.He carefully concealed his ownership by using shell companies in France and Luxembourg. But after further investigation it turned out those companies are under the Eight Investment Company umbrella – a Saudi firm that’s managed by the head of prince’s personal foundation. Emad Khashoggi, the nephew of billionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, developed the property – bulldozing the original 19th century castle and rebuilding it with 21st century amenities.
