THE CIPRIANI FIVE ●●●

Clockwise from top left, Paul Castle, Scot Young, Boris Berezovsky, Johnny Elichaoff and Robbie Curtis. Opposite page, Michelle Young with daughter Scarlet, Barbados, 1994 PHOTOGRAPHS: MIKE FORSTER/SOLO SYNDICATION, ANDY RAIN, ALAN DAVIDSON/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, OIC/SILVERHUB, DAVID WESTING/PRESS ASSOCIATION Russian connectionssuggestnot.Keith Dovkants investigates property tycoons;property allhighrollers, allfriends,deadwithin four years undersuspiciouscircumstances. Can thisreally An oligarch, anentrepreneur, arock managerandtwo be coincidence? The missingmillionsandtheshady one ofthemostcompellingmysteriesourtime THERE WERE ●●● AND THEN NONE TATLER.CO

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TATLER FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY TATLER 00 hey were Scarlet, Sasha, known as the Cipriani Five, friends who Michelle and Scot often met at the restaurant (now known as Young on holiday C London) on Davies Street, dined lavishly in France, c. 2000 and prospered on the deals they hatched. There was Boris Berezovsky, the exiled Russian oligarch; property men Paul Castle and Robbie Curtis; ex-rock manager Johnny Elichaoff; and Scot Young, entrepreneur and fortune. He was a charming, sharp and funny Tfixer. Between November 2010 and the end of young man – son of a former Dundee United 2014, they were all to meet violent deaths, player – when they met in the late Eighties. leaving behind one of the most baffling Michelle was a fashion buyer, and when Scot mysteries of modern times. Scot Young was started in property, it was with money provided the last to go. by her and her father, an Essex businessman. The 52-year-old property and telecoms They married in 1995 and had two daughters: tycoon plunged from a fifth-floor window in Scarlet, now 25, and Sasha, 23. Scot seemed Marylebone onto spiked steel railings on to dote on his family. The girls went to 8 December 2014. His death has never been expensive schools; presents for Michelle fully explained, nor has the riddle surrounding included a Range Rover filled with clothes by the approximately £400m he is believed to Maria Grachvogel and, for her 40th birthday, have hidden in a string of offshore tax havens. a million pounds’ worth of jewellery from Graff. His death seems to be part of a puzzle that no Scot invested successfully in telecoms and one – including the police and a coroner – can chip-and-pin technology, and their wealth crack. But there are clues. Tatler talked to grew enormously. But he was always very Young’s former wife, Michelle, who shared secretive. With good cause, as Michelle was to evidence from her own investigation. We discover. In 2005, they moved to an opulent The pool at interviewed the American private investigator beachfront property in Miami after a tense Bakeham she hired, whose spine-chilling theory is time in the marriage. Michelle began looking House, 2001 matched by facts. It all suggests the possibility for a permanent home for the family. of a horrific crime, a massive theft that may ‘We were meant to be starting a new have ended in cold-blooded murder and life,’ she says. ‘I was looking at $20m might, at last, provide clues to the fate of the houses and making plans. Then I was in Cipriani Five. my bedroom one day when I got a Michelle Young is a slim – almost slight – call from someone I didn’t know.’ It was figure in black trousers and matching silk a London lawyer, who told her that Scot shirt, sitting next to a pile of photographs that was in the Priory following a suicide many would view as property porn; there are attempt and had lost all his money. shots of a grand staircase, a soaring atrium, a library, vast dining rooms, long driveways and t was late March in 2006. ‘Scot velvety lawns. These are the houses Michelle had been talking about buying used to own. Woodperry House, a Palladian Ia multimillion-dollar yacht and an villa in Oxfordshire. Bakeham House, on the executive jet,’ Michelle declares. ‘How Wentworth Estate, in Surrey. Wootton Place, could he have lost all his money?’ in the Cotswolds. These homes were part of How indeed. Next, she discovered that he the life she lived with Young as he built their was leading a double life, living with

00 TATLER FEBRUARY 2018 TATLER.COM another woman at a house in Belgravia. ‘Can you imagine?’ she asks. ‘I loved him. I had always stuck to my marriage vows. But he was deceiving me.’ Worse was to come. Young claimed he was broke, and Michelle and her daughters were soon back in London. Maintenance payments stopped, and Michelle and the girls found themselves with no home and no money. As she goes over this intensely painful part of her life, she speaks softly, never getting angry or emotional. Her daughter Sasha has joined us, and they exchange glances

ABOVE, WOODPERRY as the crueller moments in the HOUSE IN OXFORDSHIRE, story unfold. There are many of FORMERLY OWNED BY THE YOUNGS. BELOW, SASHA them. As Michelle, now 53, tried to YOUNG IN THE GROUNDS OF work out what was happening, BAKEHAM HOUSE, 2001 she learned that her husband had orchestrated his own financial collapse – and, later, bankruptcy – to cheat her out of her share of the family wealth. She knew he was not broke and set out to prove it. She pursued him through the courts in what became one of the new century’s most sensational divorce cases. She was eventually awarded £26.6m by the High Court but never saw any of it. Young stuck so tenaciously to the story that his money had disappeared that, in 2013, a High Court judge sent him to prison for six months for refusing to provide details of his finances. He served three months and, following his release, binged on drink and drugs, behaving more and more erratically. Then, on a December night in 2014, he turned up at the Montagu Square flat he had shared with a girlfriend – Noelle Reno, an American-born model and presenter. She was a star of the reality-TV show Ladies of London, in its first series, and, on Scot Young’s arm, a familiar face at London parties. They dined often at the Ivy and Cipriani. Despite his claim to be penniless, Young was spending around £60,000 a week, Michelle’s investigators found. He had an expensive cocaine habit, rent was £4,000 a week on one flat and he was having a lot of fun at Boujis, his favourite club. Michelle’s QC, Edward Fitzgerald, remarked: ‘He is attending party after party, posing with a glass of champagne in his hand and a girlfriend – some supermodel or other – on his arm.’ Noelle Reno said they had intended to marry but had split up, and on the night of his death, she said, he arrived ‘unexpectedly and unannounced’. In July 2015, she told the RIGHT, THE BUILDING inquest that on that night Young had been ‘the FROM WHICH SCOT most sober since he got out of prison’ – but YOUNG FELL TO HIS DEATH IN 2014 ‘more desperate than I had ever seen him’. They argued and, she said, he threatened to call ]

TATLER.COM TATLER FEBRUARY 2018 00 00 TATLER FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY TATLER was looking forward toseeingher.was lookingforward He also before a voicemail leftshortly hedied, thathe Young toldScarlet,hiselder daughter, in because hewasconsidered ‘low risk’. And his deathhehadbeenreleased from hospital before mental-health problems, butshortly in 2012andreceived frequent treatment for attempt’sectioned to endhislife.He hadbeen concluded thathehadmadeonlya ‘moderate yet themedicalstaffwhotreated him in 2006,leadingtohisfirstspellatthePriory, so certain. Yes, Young hadtakenanoverdose open andshutcaseofsuicide.But wasit? circumstances, anditdidindeedlooklikean police concludedthere were nosuspicious Coke, apacketofcigarettes andalighter. The open. On thesillthere wasacanofDiet Upstairs, thefifth-floorbedroom window was one ofthesteelspikeshadpierced hischest. found Young’s bodyhangingfrom therailings; she rangthepolice,whosoonafterwards on thephoneandyou willhearme.”’ Instead, “I’m goingtojumpoutofthewindow. Stay do we really have todoitthisway?”He said, why. She left,thenranghimonhercellphone. [ The coroner, Dr Shirley Radcliffe,wasnot ‘I said,“Do we really have togothepolice, the police, though it was not made clear clear the police,thoughitwasnotmade AN OPENANDSHUTCASEOFSUICIDE. SCOT YOUNG’SDEATHLOOKEDLIKE THE CORONERWASNOTSOSURE

TATLER.COM Scot Young,2014 Noelle Reno and

to the money and property her husband herhusband to themoneyandproperty was desperatetofindoutwhathadhappened down hiddenassets,andwhenMichelle Young of familywealth. He specialisesintracking husbands cheatingwives outoftheirfairshare insoluble riddles,especiallythosethatinvolve A dealt with Young to talk.His officeconducted togetprofessionals whohad and trying Michelle inspecting documents,interviewing in Londonon31July 2013andspent10days would getashare. It hasn’t happenedyet. agreement thatwhentheassetswere found,they and investigative feesonthebasisofan up millionsofpoundstofundMichelle’s legal a treasure hunt, withrichinvestors putting The lure ofScot’s missingmillionsturnedinto wasoutthere, fortune waitingtobefound. make becausetheyshared herbeliefthatavast that otherprofessionals were alsohappyto could afford to. This wasanarrangement understanding shewouldpayhimwhen expenses buttookMichelle’s caseonthe He customarilycharges$200anhourplus from behindthatdeskandontothestreets.’ ‘Sometimes,’ hesays,‘you justhave togetout and handlesintriguingcasespersonally: help. He hisown runs outfitin Tempe, Arizona, more than £1bn–sheturnedtoFiles for had owned –shethinksitmayhave totalled one ofthekeyplayers inthisenigmaticaffair. a completemystery, asTatler haslearnedfrom Young’s deathunexplained.But perhapsnot leaving narrative conclusion,effectively a proof offoulplay, shenoted,and recorded that Young hadkilledhimself. no was There ‘conflicting evidence’, wasnotentirely sure considerably. Dr Radcliffe,citingthe Young saidhisfeelingsforNoelle hadcooled text. Andinexchanges withhisdaughters, Yet there wasthat noYoung proof the sent had other.no always and Love you forever! xxx.’ hit rock bottomasyou willsee.Loved you like received atextfrom hisphone:‘Now Ihave before heplungedfrom thewindow, Reno convinced theirfatherwasmurdered. Moments minutes before hedied. Young’s daughtersare the nextday. She timedthecallatabout10 Tatler that Young hadsaidhewouldringher called hisyounger daughter, Sasha. She told ‘The assetswere there,’‘The saysFiles. He arrived

expert atinvestigating apparently expert L Burke Files isanacknowledged merican private investigator

presented inareport totheHigh in Court research,further andhisconclusionswere over, canwe talk?”Isaid,“Probably not.But walked uptome.Hethisisall said,“When I went tothepubacross theroad andhe fortitude,’ Files says.‘One morningaftercourt, fake mentalillness. Young hadsoughtinformationabouthow to also revealed evidenceindicatingthatScot Filesafter heclaimedhadlosteverything. by Files, thatshowed detailsof Young’s wealth included spreadsheets, submittedinevidence information thathadbeenstored. This been wipedbutthatitwaspossibletorecover whofoundthehardby an expert, drives had Michelle hadthecomputersexamined with hisclaimthathehadnomoney. But each. The machineswere second-hand,inline £382,241,496. How didheknow? broke, Files said, Young hadassetsofatleast tohisclaimin2006thathewas up. Contrary a casebrought by Michelle tomake Young pay as simplethat?’ them injail?Or wasitaneconomic crime, by him.Did hehave theabilitytoput deal ofmoney. Maybe they feltthreatened out ofthewaytheysuddenlyhad agreat them,buttheyrealised trusted that withhim here who gotcontrol ofthemoney. He Yes.money? Ibelieve there were insiders afew apply here. To getpower? No. To get for murder. Acrimeofpassion? That doesn’t where hismoneywas. There are motives few He went toprisonratherthanreveal fit thepsyche. Mentally, thisguywastough. suicide? I’m notbuyingthat.Suicide doesn’t out ofawindow? Comeon...Or itwas murder? Files hashisviews. legitimate owner.”’ “Hey –we canhave itallifwe squeeze outthe what ifthosepeoplegettogetherandsay, person whocontrols themindirectly. Now ‘People are different running assetsforone ‘I’vetrust. seenthishappenbefore,’ Files says. do it,hehadusedpeoplethoughtcould of ownership toobscure hisown interest. To offshore, usingtaxhavens andmultiplelayers maninthatcourtroom.”’smartest I wanttotellyou onething–you were the ‘In hewasamanofgreat myview mental In 2008, Young gave hisdaughtersalaptop ‘So –whathappened?He accidentallyfell Does ‘squeeze out’ –inthiscasemean Files foundthat Young hadshiftedhisassets

PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL VICENTE/THE SUNDAY TIMES/NEWS SYNDICATION, TIM STEWART/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, CAN NGUYEN/CAPITAL PICTURES So who are the conspirators who helped Scot Young hide his money and then, according to that analysis, had him killed in order to keep it? Files chuckles. ‘Look at the Russian connection,’ he says. ‘It’s fascinating.’ Indeed it is. The Russian link adds an even more sinister dimension to this dark affair. Witness Young’s relationship with Boris Berezovsky. The Russian was one of the most conspicuous LEFT, SCOT YOUNG post-Soviet oligarchs, a one-time ON HOLIDAY IN BALI, 2014. RIGHT, billionaire who profited SCARLET & immensely from the scramble for MICHELLE YOUNG, riches in Russia in the Nineties. LONDON, 2009 Berezovsky fell out with his former protégé, Vladimir Putin, and was given asylum in Britain, where he pursued his business career with, among it had foiled at least one serious attempt on others, Scot Young. Berezovsky bought the his life. A coroner subsequently recorded an Youngs’ house on the Wentworth Estate, open verdict, noting it was ‘impossible to say’ and he and Young became close friends. whether Berezovsky had been unlawfully Through Berezovsky, Young met a number killed or had taken his own life. Young’s friend of figures in the Russian business community Robbie Curtis, who made millions from and became known as a man who could fix rented property, was also believed to have had things for them in pursuit of their interests. dealings with the Russian mob. He jumped He also invested in a scheme to develop a huge under a train, as did his friend Castle. Then, site in Moscow. The deal, called Project in November 2014, another member of Moscow, failed to become a reality, and the set, Johnny Elichaoff, leapt from the roof Young blamed it for destroying his fortune, of the Whiteleys shopping centre in Bayswater. people he had used to hide his money that although Michelle stresses this could not Elichaoff, the former husband of TV presenter he wanted it back. Shortly before he died, have been the case. ‘Look at the documents,’ Trinny Woodall, had massive debts, it emerged, Young phoned her. She recorded the call, in she says, citing a schedule from Coutts bank and had been talked down from the same roof which he offered her a deal – £20m to and evidence from Young’s solicitor showing a few weeks earlier. drop her investigation. ‘He just wanted it to that, shortly before the deal, his wealth had While such a concentration of violent deaths stop. He’d had enough. He was missing the amounted to at least £800m. ‘The idea he lost in a small circle of associates raises suspicion, money, the houses, everything.’ She believes all that is nonsense – it was a sham,’ she adds. those of Curtis, Castle and Elichaoff have he wanted to end the deception and get his But the Russian links were very real. Ever been recorded as suicides. Officially, Scot old life back, but she refused his offer. He raised since the deaths of the other members of Young’s demise, like Berezovsky’s, is still open it to £30m. Again she refused – there was no the Cipriani Five, there had been reports to question. But Valery Morozov, a Russian guarantee she would ever get the money. Three of Russian criminals pressuring Castle and businessman now living in exile in Britain, weeks later, Scot Young was dead. Curtis. According to anonymous friends, sees things differently. Michelle believes the people who helped Russian ‘enforcers’ burst into Castle’s offices Morozov, who claimed asylum after exposing Young hide his money from her sanctioned and threatened him shortly before he dived corruption in Russia, has said he believes that his murder rather than return it. Now she in front of a Tube train at Bond Street. the Russian mafia were involved in hiding feels she is finally close to a breakthrough. She Young’s money, and he suspects that gangsters has sent key elements of her dossier to erezovsky was 67 when he was found had a role in his death. Russian elements Scotland Yard and has a new legal team helping hanged in a bathroom at Titness Park, – state-sponsored killers or mafia hitmen, to establish that Young’s bankruptcy and Bin Berkshire, in March 2013. Again, it often working together – have been blamed the disappearance of his assets were fraudulent. looked like suicide, but a pathologist retained for other unexplained deaths, including In the smart but compact flat she now rents, by Berezovsky’s daughter, Elizaveta, pointed to those of Alexander Litvinenko, a defector Michelle carefully stacks the photographs of marks on the body that suggested he had been from the Russian security services, and the the grand houses she once owned. They may murdered. This expert, Bernd Brinkmann, said whistleblower Alexander Perepilichny, who be gone, but she will not let go. She concedes the ligature had left a circular pattern on the is suspected of having been poisoned after that her unrelenting search for answers may neck, rather than a V-shape, which is usual in he fled to Britain. place her in danger, but she vows never to give a hanging. A paramedic who saw the body ‘Of course Scot didn’t kill himself,’ says up: ‘There is not one part of me that is scared,’ also noted that Berezovsky’s face was purple. Michelle. ‘For one thing, he wouldn’t go near she says. ‘These people don’t frighten me.’ This was strange – hanging victims are usually a high window. He was afraid of heights – Rather, she says, ‘they’ should be afraid. Then very pale. Berezovsky had long been on a it was a phobia.’ She maintains Young was she adds, with a surprisingly bright smile, Russian hit list. Scotland Yard confirmed that murdered because he started telling the ‘because it’s not over yet’. (

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