Billionaires in ugly divorce battle buying million-dollar properties to make each other miserable

Billionaires Bill and Sue Gross finalized their divorce nearly a year ago, but the ugly battle over everything from cat custody to entire neighborhoods rages on. 

The couple, who divorced in October 2017, are reportedly now buying multi-million dollar properties for the sole purpose of making each other miserable.

Sue recently spent $37.8million on homes in the Irvine Cove community of Laguna Beach, California, where Bill was hoping to start his newly-single life.

She received the couple’s $36million home in Irvine Cove as part of the divorce and wanted to make sure Bill couldn’t buy a great piece of property in the neighborhood, sources told the New York Post.

Billionaires Bill and Sue Gross finalized their divorce nearly a year ago, but the ugly battle over everything from cat custody to entire neighborhoods rages on 

But two can play at that game. 

Sue claims that Bill, the co-founder of the Pacific Investment Management Company, then bought a $36million home across the street from her sister in retaliation.

Although she placed a higher bid on the house in an attempt to block Bill’s purchase, she ultimately lost out because her ex-husband offered to pay for it in cash. 

‘With his financial resources, Bill could choose to live practically anywhere in the world,’ she wrote in a Los Angeles court filing. 

‘However, he insists upon the very small community that I call home.’ 

Sue then purchased two more homes in the neighborhood because she wanted to protect herself and her family from Bill’s ‘army of spies’, she said. 

Sources claim Sue recently spent $37.8million on homes in the Irvine Cove community of Laguna Beach,  despite receiving the couple's $36million home (pictured) in the same neighborhood, to make sure her ex couldn't buy a great piece of property in the neighborhood

Sources claim Sue recently spent $37.8million on homes in the Irvine Cove community of Laguna Beach, despite receiving the couple’s $36million home (pictured) in the same neighborhood, to make sure her ex couldn’t buy a great piece of property in the neighborhood

She claims Bill hired a security company to monitor her, as well as her two sisters and assistant, around the clock and turn their lives into an ‘unmitigated nightmare’. 

Sue alleged that the guards even videotaped her and her sisters as well as their children and grandchildren.  

‘I am exhausted beleaguered by this omnipresent interference,’ Sue wrote in the court filing. 

‘[I’m] mortified that my loved ones have been subjected to harassment for no reason other than their relationship with me.’ 

On the flip side, Bill alleges that he only hired security because Sue would come to their house and steal things during the divorce proceedings.

Sue claims that Bill, the co-founder of the Pacific Investment Management Company, then bought a $36million home across the street from her sister in retaliation

Sue claims that Bill, the co-founder of the Pacific Investment Management Company, then bought a $36million home across the street from her sister in retaliation

The pair's contentious divorce has not entangled their three adult children, but they have been battling over custody of their three cats. Pictured is Sue with their son Nick

The pair’s contentious divorce has not entangled their three adult children, but they have been battling over custody of their three cats. Pictured is Sue with their son Nick

One such item Bill claims Sue looted was the couple’s Pablo Picasso painting. 

Sue won Picasso’s 1932 Le Repos in a coin toss during the divorce proceedings and later sold it at a Sotheby’s auction for $36.9million. 

But Bill was shocked to hear after the coin toss that she already had the art work, replacing the real one on their bedroom wall with a fake that she had painted herself.

Although Bill was well-aware that his wife had recreated the painting years prior, he said he had no idea she recently switched them.

In court Sue said that she merely was doing what Bill had told her, which was to ‘take all the furniture and art that you’d like’. 

Sue also alleged that Bill had left the couple’s home in complete disarray when he was forced to leave after the divorce was finalized.

She claimed she found empty spray bottles of ‘puke’ and ‘fart’ smells in the garbage, balls of human hair in the drawers, and dead fish and dirt stuffed in the air vents. 

Sue said all the remote controls for the house were missing, the carpets were stained, and there was water damage throughout the property. 

Sue also alleged that Bill had left the couple's home in complete disarray when he was forced to leave after the divorce was finalized. He is pictured here with one of their daughters 

Sue also alleged that Bill had left the couple’s home in complete disarray when he was forced to leave after the divorce was finalized. He is pictured here with one of their daughters 

The couple’s divorce was finalized last October, marking the end of their 21-year union (they are pictured here in the 1990s)

‘When I was finally able to obtain access to this house, I was disgusted to see that Bill had left it in a state of utter chaos and disrepair,’ read Sue’s declaration, obtained by The Blast.

Sue submitted the declaration in hopes of obtaining a restraining order against her ex – whom she called a ‘cruel, vengeful and vindictive man with practically limitless financial resources’. It was later granted by the court.

Bill was also granted a temporary restraining order against Sue, which expired in December 2017. 

Sue’s restraining order expires in February 2019, when the former couple must appear back in court together.

Bill also claimed that Sue stole this 1932 Picasso painting, which later sold for $36.9million, from their bedroom wall and replaced it with one she painted herself 

Bill also claimed that Sue stole this 1932 Picasso painting, which later sold for $36.9million, from their bedroom wall and replaced it with one she painted herself 

The pair’s contentious divorce has not entangled their three adult children, but it has affected their three cats.

Although Sue won custody of the couple’s pets, Bill was granted 24-hour visits with his favorite felines. 

Bill then claimed that Sue showed up ‘unannounced’ on one such visit and claimed their cats weren’t safe with him because the ‘house was too hot’, a source said. 

‘The cats were fine,’ they added. ‘They were returned the next day to Sue with a full physical check-up and clearance.’ 

Sue claims that Bill has been sending threatening text messages and emails throughout their ugly divorce battle, telling her the ‘game is on’. 

‘Feel peaceful while you can,’ one alleged text read. ‘War of the Roses ahead. And I can predict the winner!’  



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