$40M sale of Forstmann’s penthouse is finalized, businesswoman pays 11 percent over ask

The widely reported sale of the late Ted Forstmann’s 2 East 70th Street penthouse finally hit city public records — not only confirming the deal but also and revealing the name of the purchaser. Bloomberg News reported that Laure Sudreau-Rippe, a lawyer and minority holder in the Amsterdam-based Louis Dreyfus Holding BV, one of the world’s largest agricultural and trading companies, purchased the home for $40 million — 11 percent above the asking price.

The 4,000-square-foot duplex unit with Central Park views was listed for $36 million with Meredyth Smith and Serena Boardman at Sotheby’s International Realty. As previously reported, Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn was contemplating buying this penthouse unit, though residents of the co-op building worried that Wynn’s legal battle would disturb their peace.

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Brokers had leaked many of the details of the 2 East 70th Street penthouse sale, but the exact identity of the purchase has not been clear until now. The deal reportedly went into contract earlier this spring.

Forstmann, 71, died last November of brain cancer. He was the chairman and CEO of IMG Worldwide, a sports and fashion-marketing company. [Bloomberg]