Brokers Stiffed on Sale of Duke-Semans Mansion to World's Richest Man

It seems there was something a bit dodgy about the record $44 million sale of the famed Duke-Semans mansion (above) in New York City to Carlos Slim, the world's richest man, which we wrote about back in July. According to a lawsuit filed by the real estate brokers who had the listing on the palatial residence, former owner Tamir Sapir stiffed them out of nearly $1 million in commission by reneging on a prior agreement to sell the place to a different buyer for $37 million. Since Sapir, a cab driver-turned-fertilizer king, did the deal with Slim directly he ended up paying no brokerage fee, the New York Times reports, noting that the parties have just reached a settlement in the dispute for an undisclosed amount. Sapir bought the historic seven-story Beaux Arts mansion located across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art from relatives of Doris Duke for $40 million in 2006. When Slim took possession the 20,000-square-foot mansion, built in 1901, it had a doctor's office in the basement, a five-story main residence, a penthouse duplex on top, 12 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, and 11 wood-burning fireplaces.


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