Socialite James Stunt has advised a courtroom that he liked his ex-wife Petra Ecclestone – and “not her bank account”.
Stunt, 40, is amongst eight folks on trial accused of a multi-million pound cash laundering scheme.
The former son-in-law of Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone is alleged to have been concerned in an operation shifting £266m into the checking account of Bradford-based gold seller Fowler Oldfield between 2014 and 2016.
Leeds Cloth Hall Court heard that he grew to become concerned within the scheme after his marriage to the F1 heiress broke down and the “river of money” from her household was “running dry”.
Prosecutors declare that “criminal cash” was amassed from throughout the nation and put into Fowler Oldfield earlier than issues “went national” and Stunt’s London workplace additionally began receiving funds.
Stunt advised jurors he received concerned within the gold trade as a result of it was “something I had a good knowledge of”.
Asked about his relationship together with his ex-wife, who he divorced in 2017, he stated: “I’m not a Kardashian, I’ve by no means finished something to realize fame.
“Wow, I have some money, I married a famous man’s daughter. That wasn’t what I wanted, I loved my wife, I didn’t love her bank account.”
He added that Ms Ecclestone’s household was “very controlling of our marriage” and that the couple’s three youngsters “had to be born in the UK for tax reasons”.
Stunt grew to become emotional when his late brother Lee Stunt was talked about.
He stated he wished the trial to “clear my name and his”.
Prosecutors stated Mr Stunt, who died in 2017, was concerned in managing the enterprise Stunt and Co, which they declare was used to gather and depend the “criminal cash”.
Defending him, his sibling stated: “My brother was the nicest person I have ever met and for these slanderous charges – I don’t mind for me but here’s not here to defend it himself.”
Grew up between Belgravia and nation membership
Detailing his childhood, Stunt stated he grew up between London’s Belgravia and “quite an exclusive country club”.
He was recognized with ADHD as a toddler and have become hooked on the remedy benzodiazepine after struggling a panic assault on the Monza Grand Prix in Italy in 2008, he advised the courtroom.
Stunt then stated he grew to become hooked on morphine and cocaine when he and his spouse separated – his brother died – and police raided Fowler Oldfield’s premises.
He added: “I have a very addictive personality. I was the second largest gambler in the world at one point.”
But he stated he had been sober for 3 years.
As a part of questioning, he was quizzed about charitable donations he had made to King Charles’s charity The Prince’s Trust and the Princess Charlene of Monaco Fund in 2015.
Stunt, 40, Heidi Buckler, 45, Greg Frankel, 44, Paul Miller, 45, Haroon Rashid, 51, Daniel Rawson, 45, Francesca Sota, 34, and Alesancer Tulloch, 41, all deny cash laundering. Stunt and Sota additionally deny forgery. The trial continues.
Source: information.sky.com”