Palm Beach billionaire Bill Koch is facing a lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County over a private school’s yet-to-be-built athletic field.
According to reports, an independent realtor in Palm Beach claims he was cut out of a deal to purchase a 12-acre piece of vacant land just north of Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches. Douglas Kirlan claims he was the one who brought the land to Koch’s attention through emails to his staff – but he is yet to reap any financial rewards.
Koch, number 81 on the Forbes 400, says that his school’s officials dealt only with the land’s owner, Hovsite Catalina LLC and the Miami-based real estate company hired by Hovsite, Cushman & Wakefield. A spokesman for Koch, Brad Goldstein, said that Kirlan is “just looking for a commission he may not deserve.”
“There was a for sale sign on that property for months,” said Goldstein, adding that the land would be used for athletics. “Every motorist could see it. I don’t know what he is talking about.”
Koch is the twin brother of Tea Party sponsor and fellow billionaire David Koch. He poured $50 million into Oxbridge Academy and started the school with high level employees of his energy company, Oxbow, mostly because he was “worried about the quality of education in the area.” Two of his six children are attending the school.
Source: Forbes
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