Wanted Nigerian Billionaire Kola Aluko Puts Up His $51m Apartment For Sale For Just $39m

A luxurious Manhattan apartment previously owned by an on-the-run Nigerian billionaire is up for sale for $11million less than he bought it for.
Disgraced Nigerian energy businessman Kolawole 'Kola' Aluko, 48, bought Apartment 79 in the One57 building in 2014 for $51.9million.


And now as he tries to evade authorities - the penthouse apartment is now up for sale for just $39.9million.

The seller is apparently anxious to get rid of the property - as it is listed by a 'MOTIVATED SELLER!!!'

The property was supposed to be sold at a foreclosure auction in July.


However, that sale fell through for an unknown reason and it has now been put back on the market by a 'motivated seller'.


The 6,240 square foot apartment is described as a four bed, four-and-a-half bathroom penthouse with stunning views of Central Park, the Hudson and East rivers, the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty.


It is described as a 'once in a lifetime investment opportunity' as it's the 'last remaining full floor residence at Manhattan's New Crown Jewel, One 57 Condominium.

Aluko bought the sprawling penthouse for $51.9million in 2014, but in less than a year later however he was forced to take out a $35.5million mortgage from Banque Havilland in Luxembourg to help pay for the apartment.

When the owner failed to pay the loan back a year later, the bank took possession of the 6,420-square-foot apartment, according to court documents.

'The home was in foreclosure, but it is now being sold by a third party as an alternative to foreclosure,' a source close to the property told the New York Post.


Aluko has been accused of making money by bribing Nigeria's oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, in a $1.76billion dollar scheme to defraud the country's oil sale profits.


The justice department lawsuit claims that Aluko and one other laundered money by purchasing $144million in properties including the penthouse and yatch, where he is thought to be hiding out to evade arrest.


Beyonce and Jay Z rented that same yacht in 2015 for $900,000 a week.


Aluko is currently under investigation for alleged money-laundering crimes in Nigeria and Europe.


He was last seen in Hong Kong and May and his yacht is currently in the Bahamas.


In 2014 a Nigerian court tried to freeze his assets - including the jaw-dropping penthouse, but never found him to serve papers.


from dailymail