America’s wealthiest real estate mogul, Donald Bren, has reportedly disowned his 33-year-old son, David Bren. The decision follows accusations that David defrauded investors of more than $2 million with a business promoted as the “ultimate man cave” for the ultra-wealthy.
David allegedly promised that ‘The Bunker’, a luxury private members’ club in Beverly Hills, would provide exclusive access to luxury vehicles, including Ferraris, Bugattis and Porsches, alongside curated dining experiences and high-end wines and cigars, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Multiple lawsuits claim the business was entirely fabricated. Investors reportedly lost six-figure sums between 2020 and 2022, according to The New York Post.
Among them, one fled California in shame, while another, who allegedly invested far more than $100,000, was found dead in his garage, hanging from a noose, reported the LA Times.
Donald Bren, 93, with a net worth of $19 billion and ownership of roughly 129 million square feet of Southern California real estate, has not intervened on behalf of his son. “We do not have a personal or business relationship with this individual,” Paul Hernandez, spokesperson for Donald Bren and Irvine Company, told The New York Post.
Allegations of Donald being an absent father emerged during a 2003 trial, when his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer McKay Gold, and their two children, including David, sued him for retroactive child support. His lawyer told the LA Times that he had already paid roughly $9 million in support. A jury eventually ruled in his favour.
