[h=1][/h] French authorities are investigating the conspicuous Paris fortunes of three serving African leaders and their families
Eleven supercars worth up to 5m have been seized from outside an African leader's Paris mansion as part of money-laundering investigations. Photograph: Alexsmolik
At 42 Avenue Foch, the tree-lined boulevard that is one of Paris's most expensive streets, looms a five-storey private mansion complete with disco, spa room, hair salon, gold- and jewel-encrusted taps, lift, pastel pink dining room and a breathtaking balcony-view of the Arc de Triomphe.
Local people always knew when there was about to be a visit from its 41-year-old "playboy" resident, Teodorin Obiang, eldest son of the autocratic president of Equatorial Guinea. Days before Obiang Jr's private jet touched down, two massive lorries would pull up outside and disgorge a sea of fresh flowers to dress the interior of the mansion.
When Obiang was in residence, passersby would see a parade of couturiers from Paris's top design houses, including Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Louis Vuitton, waiting to be admitted for fittings before returning with vanloads of made-to-measure clothes. Crates of the most expensive burgundy were another regular delivery.
On one occasion 15,000 DVDs were hauled in on wooden pallets roughly 41 years worth of viewing.
But the most public statement of opulence was the fleet of luxury, turbo-charged, yellow, red and blue sports cars, parked in garages or in the cobbled courtyard.
"The noise-factor was extreme," one local said. "He seemed obsessed with security so when he wanted to go out between midnight and 2am, he'd order the chauffeur to warm up four cars so no one knew which he'd take. Can you imagine the noise of Ferraris, Porsches and Maseratis all running at once? Then he'd come down and decide to take a fifth car and that would have to be started."
But the courtyard has fallen quiet, the mansion empty of occupants. Three months ago, in a morning raid, French police towed away 11 luxury cars, including a Maserati, a Porsche Carrera, an Aston Martin and a Mercedes Maybach
- Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
- guardian.co.uk, Monday 6 February 2012 16.00 GMT
Eleven supercars worth up to 5m have been seized from outside an African leader's Paris mansion as part of money-laundering investigations. Photograph: Alexsmolik
At 42 Avenue Foch, the tree-lined boulevard that is one of Paris's most expensive streets, looms a five-storey private mansion complete with disco, spa room, hair salon, gold- and jewel-encrusted taps, lift, pastel pink dining room and a breathtaking balcony-view of the Arc de Triomphe.
Local people always knew when there was about to be a visit from its 41-year-old "playboy" resident, Teodorin Obiang, eldest son of the autocratic president of Equatorial Guinea. Days before Obiang Jr's private jet touched down, two massive lorries would pull up outside and disgorge a sea of fresh flowers to dress the interior of the mansion.
When Obiang was in residence, passersby would see a parade of couturiers from Paris's top design houses, including Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Louis Vuitton, waiting to be admitted for fittings before returning with vanloads of made-to-measure clothes. Crates of the most expensive burgundy were another regular delivery.
On one occasion 15,000 DVDs were hauled in on wooden pallets roughly 41 years worth of viewing.
But the most public statement of opulence was the fleet of luxury, turbo-charged, yellow, red and blue sports cars, parked in garages or in the cobbled courtyard.
"The noise-factor was extreme," one local said. "He seemed obsessed with security so when he wanted to go out between midnight and 2am, he'd order the chauffeur to warm up four cars so no one knew which he'd take. Can you imagine the noise of Ferraris, Porsches and Maseratis all running at once? Then he'd come down and decide to take a fifth car and that would have to be started."
But the courtyard has fallen quiet, the mansion empty of occupants. Three months ago, in a morning raid, French police towed away 11 luxury cars, including a Maserati, a Porsche Carrera, an Aston Martin and a Mercedes Maybach
