The billionaire businessman John Caudwell faces a high court showdown next week after being accused of forcing three women out of top jobs at his companies.
The Phones 4u founder is due to give evidence in person in the 15-day trial.
His daughter, Rebekah will also take the witness stand in the fiercely fought battle.
The billionaire businessman John Caudwell faces a high court showdown next week
The Phones 4u founder is due to give evidence in person in the 15-day trial
French wine heiress, Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe, 39, claims that she was ‘robbed’ of £15m worth of shares in the wealth management firm she ran with Mr Caudwell
French wine heiress, Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe, 39, claims that she was ‘robbed’ of £15m worth of shares in the wealth management firm she ran with Mr Caudwell.
She has also accused the tycoon of bullying, ‘concocting’ false allegations that she fiddled £33,000 of expenses to justify her sacking and of improperly avoiding VAT at the firm.
Mr Caudwell denies the allegations.
Earlier this year Chief Master Matthew Marsh of the High Court ruled Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe could include two other women in the case, due to start on Tuesday.
Tracy Gehlan, 49, an executive at Mr Caudwell’s company Jatomi, which runs gyms in several countries, alleges she was sacked in 2016 four days before her £200,000 bonus was due. She alleges that her expenses were being investigated ‘to find some evidence’ to justify the sacking.
Suzette Burger, a marketing executive at Jatomi, claims she suffered a similar fate.
Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe (pictured) claims shares worth £15m were taken from her
Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe was the youngest client partner at the Queen’s bank, Coutts when she met Mr Caudwell.
In 2009 they founded Signia Wealth, both investing £300,000. Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe has said previously that Mr Caudwell was like a father to her. He is also her daughter’s godfather.
When their relationship soured in 2014 Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe was accused of fiddling her expenses, using company credit cards for holidays and foreign shopping trips, something she denies.
Tracy Gehlan, 49, an executive at Mr Caudwell’s company Jatomi, which runs gyms in several countries, alleges she was sacked in 2016 four days before her £200,000 bonus was due
Suzette Burger, a marketing executive at Jatomi, claims she suffered a similar fate
The mother of two officially resigned from Signia in January 2015 and started employment tribunal proceedings for the value of her shares.
This was halted when in 2015 Mr Caudwell launched a civil lawsuit in the high court accusing Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe of stealing money from the firm. Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe counter sued and the case is finally being heard next week.
Neither Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe nor Mr Caudwell wished to comment.
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