Realtor Accused Of Hiding Bezos' Identity In $79 Million Mansion Sale – 'They Knew Or Should Have Known …'

The seller of a $79 million mansion near Miami Beach, purchased by Jeff Bezos, is suing the Realtor who handled the deal, accusing them of hiding the buyer's identity.

Leo Kryss, co-founder of Brazilian toy and electronics company Tectoy, filed a lawsuit against Douglas Elliman, saying that not disclosing that Bezos was the buyer may have cost him up to $6 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, Kryss claims that the real estate firm's CEO personally informed him that Bezos was not the buyer of the seven-bedroom, 14-bathroom property on a 2.8-acre estate.

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"Douglas Elliman failed to fulfill their duties to our client," Dana Clayton, an attorney for Kryss, told the WSJ. "They knew or should have known who the ultimate beneficial purchaser was and misrepresented that very important fact to our client."

Kryss listed the property for sale last year at $85 million. Bezos had already bought the neighboring estate for $68 million and later made an anonymous $79 million offer for Kryss's home.

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Bezos announced earlier this year that he would move to Miami with his fiancee, Lauren Sanchez. He cited several reasons, including his desire to move closer to his parents, Sanchez's love of South Florida, and Blue Origin, his space exploration company that launches from Cape Canaveral.

When he completes the move to Miami, Bezos will leave behind a Seattle real estate empire estimated to be worth $190 million.

According to the lawsuit, Kryss inquired whether Bezos was behind the offer, but Douglas Elliman CEO Jay Parker allegedly assured him that Bezos was not the buyer. Parker also stated that the buyer would not be willing to pay more than $79 million for the property.

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According to the lawsuit, the real estate agent handling the sale, Celine Klepach, is the daughter of Benny Klepach, the mayor of Indian Creek, the WSJ reported. She allegedly gave Kryss the impression that the Klepach family was purchasing the property.

After the sale, Kryss discovered that the offer had come from Bezos. The lawsuit claims that Kryss would not have agreed to a 7% price reduction had he known the buyer’s true identity.

Indian Creek Island, often called "Billionaire Bunker," is home to several high-profile residents, including Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and retired NFL star Tom Brady.

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