Playboy Mansion owner’s brother is buying Danny Thomas estate for $65M

Evan Metropoulos, the brother of Playboy Mansion owner Daren Metropoulos, is buying the Danny Thomas estate for $65 million, less than half its original $135 million asking price, the Wall Street Journal confirmed.

The Twinkies heir made a lowball offer for the property, owned by billionaire Lebanese-British business mogul Gilbert Chagoury, back in November, The Real Deal first reported.

When contacted by TRD two weeks ago, listing agent Aaron Kirman of John Aaroe Group expressly denied that a sale was happening, claiming that the property had been taken off the market.

The 2.5-acre Trousdale Estates compound first came online in August 2015 for $135 million but the sale was complicated by the fact that Chaghoury had been barred from entering the U.S. because he was denied a visa on terrorism-related grounds. Chaghoury is one of the biggest donors to the Clinton Foundation.

Gilbert Chagoury and the property at 1187 North Hillcrest Road (Credit: John Aaroe Group)

Chagoury bought the 2.5-acre estate, at 1187 North Hillcrest Road, for $15 million in 2000 and did a massive renovation. He designed it in his own style, adding Baccarat chandeliers and custom-made, hand-woven carpets. The property was formerly home to comedian Danny Thomas, star of “Make Room for Daddy,” who built it in 1970.

Evan and Daren Metropoulos, sons of Hostess investor Dean Metropoulos, are both principals at their father’s investment firm, Metropoulos & Co. The company is best known for revitalizing the Pabst Blue Ribbon brand and saving Hostess from liquidation.

Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Previews International represented Metropoulos. [WSJ] — Cathaleen Chen