In 2020, a shell firm tied to financier Scot French spent $44 million to purchase a Gulfstream G650 private Jet from a bankrupt Texas company, court records indicate. French, a East Coast resident, appears to have used the plane to its full potential, flying across the country and then skidding into Southern California to purchase two houses in ultra-posh neighborhoods. Both homes are rich with Hollywood history.
French made his first purchase in July 2020. He spent $32.5 million to buy a prime Beverly Hills tennis court estate. Jonathan Brooks was the seller of the property. He was a local hedge fund manager and had purchased it from Brad Pitt in 2006. The original purchase cost about $25 million. The two-parcel compound, which was designed by Wallace Neff and Florence Eldridge, was also owned once before being purchased by Wallis Annenberg, a philanthropist.
Aniston and Pitt made Beverly Hills their main residence during their marriage. They spent a lot of money on A-list renovations, including heated black-and white marble floors in their kitchen, circa 1805 hardwood floors in their lounge, and a state-of the-art movie theatre. Brooks initially wanted $56 million to purchase his Hollywood legend. However, the asking price was aggressively cut to $44.5 million after French accepted his lowball offer.
French spent $25.5 million more to purchase a luxurious oceanfront home in Malibu in September 2021. It was not an accident that the home was sold by Jonathan Brooks . Brooks had previously purchased the Encinal Bluffs villa from Nicolas Cage in 2005 for nearly $10 million. Brooks, who has owned the property for 17 years, rebuilt and expanded the Cage-era hideaway. He transformed it into a modern, stylish resort-like home. Brooks had previously requested $30 million for his Malibu property.
