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After over a year of house hunting, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have reportedly bought a property together. But the home’s dark history makes it easy to wonder why the famous couple chose this property to put down roots.
According to numerous reports, the couple put down over $60 million on a mansion in Beverly Hills, known as the Wallingford Estate. Newly published aerial photos show the mega mansion in all of its glory. Sitting on 2 acres of land, the home offers tons of living space for their blended family, including 12 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms.
The Dark History Behind Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez’s New Home
Ben and JLo’s new home may seem like something out of a fairy tale, but it has a dark history, even though that didn’t seem to put the couple off from buying the property.
According to Marca, multiple convicted criminals have owned the home. The property was previously bought by Curtis Somoza in 2004, though he was arrested only a few years later for running a $64 million Ponzi scheme. He was sentenced to 25 years in jail.
The home was then bought by South Korean businesswoman Jeoung Lee in 2007. It was often used as a rental home but was largely unproblematic for nearly a decade.
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It was later bought by Saudi Prince Majed Abdulaziz Al-Saud in 2015, who quickly found himself involved in a scandal when a woman accused him of assault. Though he was arrested, police failed to prosecute him for the crime due to lack of evidence.
Afterwards, real estate developer Gala Asher invested in the home and put it through extensive renovations, before listing the property and selling it to Ben and Jen.
Ben & Jen Almost Bought A Different Mega Mansion
Despite its past, Ben and Jen apparently can’t back out of the real estate deal now that the deed has been signed. And given the photos, it’s understandable why they wouldn’t be quick to let go of such a stunning property. However, for a time, it appeared the famous couple were hoping to scoop up a different property in a nearby location.
In April 2022, it was reported that the newly engaged couple had put in an offer on a $55 million Bel-Air mansion. The home had only been on the market for a few months after being bought by hedge fund manage Todd Lemkin in 2016. With over 20,000 square feet of living space, it would’ve been a perfect property to combine their families.
Ultimately, the deal fell through for an undisclosed reason, and Ben and Jen were continually spotted house hunting in the months afterwards.
Now that they have a new joint property, the couple can focus on off-loading their other estates, as they both have other mansions up for sale. In April, for instance, JLo reduced the asking price on one of her California homes. She’s now hoping to get $40 million for it.
Similarly, Ben listed his Pacific Palisades home for $30 million in December, and is still seeking a buyer. With a new mortgage to account for, it’s understandable why the duo is anxious to get rid of the other homes they’ve already listed.
