Michael Jackson's glove, £2m Bugatti and £100m mansion used as evidence of playboy 'looting his own country'
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A £2 million personalised Bugatti supercar and one of Michael Jackson ’s jewel-encrusted gloves have been presented as evidence against an allegedly corrupt African playboy.
Teodorin Obiang is also said to have owned a £100 million mansion on one of Paris' top streets complete with a personal disco, cinema and bathrooms with solid gold taps.
Lawyers for Obiang, vice president of Equatorial Guinea, today appeared in court in Paris where he is accused of "shamelessly" looting his oil-rich country, leaving millions in a state of absolute poverty.
The 47-year-old faces 10 years in prison if he is found guilty of a range of charges, including stealing public funds, money laundering and breach of trust.
(Photo: Getty)
(Photo: CEN)
However, he has refused to attend the Paris Correctional Court, and says there is no chance of him serving any sentence because he will stay in Africa.
All the allegations relate to Obiang’s billionaire lifestyle across the world, but particularly in the French capital.
The house in Avenue Foch – one of the most prestigious roads in the world – was seized in 2011, along with eleven cars including the Bugatti Veyron, which was etched with Obiang’s name.
(Photo: CEN)
Also in his fleet was a top-of-the-range Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, and Porsches – all of which he used to ferry glamorous blonde girlfriends around Paris.
Obiang was also well known for driving his lovers down to the Riviera, where his 76-metre super yacht, the "Ebony Shine", was also seized. It was said to be worth £78 million.
Other prize possessions referenced in court include the crystal-covered glove worn by the late superstar Michael Jackson during his Bad World Tour in 1988.
Obiang bought it for hundreds of thousands of dollars soon afterwards.
In 2009, Obiang also bought 109 lots during an auction of a collection of goods that had belonged to the legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge.
(Photo: CEN)
He splashed out £18m in all, picking works of art, as well as £10m worth of jewels, and a champagne bowl costing £65,000.
Also in the collection of seized property were 64 pairs of designer shoes, most of them by Dolce & Gabbana.
Obiang’s trial is hugely important for France, because it marks the first time that the country has taken legal action against billionaire dictators using Paris as a bolt-hole.
They have been investing their ill-gotten gains in the city’s real estate and other luxury goods for decades.
Today’s trial is the result of work by anti-corruption campaigners including Transparency International and the Sherpa Group.
William Bourdon, of Sherpa said: “To begin with, there was simply no political will in France to listen to us."
(Photo: Getty)
Now the group has helped to compile evidence that Obiang stole more than £100m from Equatorial Guinea, when he was agriculture minister, from 2004 until 2011.
Obiang’s father, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, remains President of the country, and the family was allegedly allowed to take cash direct from state coffers.
A so-called "revolutionary tax" placed on the sale of wood was also transferred to Obiang’s own accounts, according to prosecution papers.
(Photo: Getty)
Obiang was not in court today, but his lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, told AFP, France’s national news agency: "He earned the money legally in his country."
Mr Marsigny called for an adjournment in order to have more time to prepare his client’s defence.
Obiang is thought to be in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea.
His criminal trial, which is expected to last for two weeks, continues.