News Summary
Hotelier Patrick McKillen has filed a $20 million lawsuit against members of the Qatari royal family, alleging racketeering and unpaid fees connected to his work on The Maybourne Beverly Hills project. The lawsuit, claiming a complex scheme to withhold payment, targets notable figures including Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim. Despite extensive redevelopment efforts, McKillen asserts he has not received compensation for his work over multiple years, marking a significant legal dispute involving high-profile Qatari figures.
Los Angeles – Hotelier Patrick McKillen has initiated a $20 million lawsuit against prominent members of the Qatari royal family, asserting claims of racketeering and unpaid fees linked to his work on The Maybourne Beverly Hills project. The legal action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on April 22, targeting significant figures including Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, former Emir of Qatar, and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, former Prime Minister of Qatar, among others.
McKillen alleges that a sophisticated scheme was employed by the defendants to withhold payment for his services while continuing to utilize his expertise. His legal team described this as a “lawless plot,” claiming it resulted in his ongoing work without compensation. McKillen, a dual citizen of Ireland and the United Kingdom, seeks not only monetary damages but also justice for what he characterizes as systemic defraudation by members of the Qatari elite.
The defendants named in the lawsuit include Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, and Sheikha Lulwah Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa, along with business associates Michele Faissola and Marc Socker, who are identified as agents for the Qatari royals. McKillen’s attorney emphasized that they will vigorously pursue the lawsuit to secure the compensation that McKillen believes he is owed.
McKillen’s relationship with the Maybourne Hotel Group dates back to 2004 when he acquired shares in the Savoy Group, which later transformed into the Maybourne Hotel Group following the sale of the Savoy Hotel. After selling his shares to a company owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim in 2015, he continued to contribute in a developmental role for the hotels.
The legal disputes escalated when, in 2019, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa showed interest in acquiring Montage Beverly Hills with the intent to rebrand it as a Maybourne hotel. McKillen engaged with the Sheikh aboard his yacht in Qatar to discuss the project. Following the acquisition of the hotel in December 2019, McKillen undertook extensive redevelopment efforts from January 2020 to January 2022, which included transitioning the hotel to the Maybourne branding and redesigning guest suites.
Despite the substantial efforts put into the redevelopment of The Maybourne Beverly Hills, McKillen alleges he has not received any compensation. He began seeking payment in June 2021, initially contacting Faissola, who subsequently denied his claims. The refusal for payment was reiterated by Sheikha Lulwah, further fueling McKillen’s resolve to seek legal remedies.
The lawsuit also accuses the Qatari royals of failing to compensate McKillen for similar work on the Maybourne Riviera and Îlot Saint-Germain in France. With significant claims pending, McKillen has lodged supplementary legal actions in the United Kingdom and France, alongside the ongoing case in California.
The Maybourne Beverly Hills, known for its luxury and high room rates exceeding $1,000 per night, has been a focal point of McKillen’s assertive legal strategy. He contends that his work on the property is valued in the “tens of millions of dollars,” highlighting the financial stakes involved in these proceedings.
This lawsuit is emblematic of the broader tensions faced by the Qatari royal family, who have encountered various legal challenges related to their property investments. The allegations made by McKillen form part of a series of disputes that span multiple jurisdictions, including lawsuits he has filed in the U.S., France, and the United Kingdom.
The Qatari-owned Maybourne Hotel Group has publicly indicated it intends to contest the claims made by McKillen, asserting that they are baseless. As the legal proceedings unfold, the implications for both McKillen and the Qatari royals remain to be seen.
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Beverly Hills Hotelier Files Lawsuit Against Qatari Royals
Additional Resources
- Beverly Hills Courier: Hotelier Patrick McKillen Files Suit Against Qatari Royals
- Los Angeles Times: Qatari Royals and Maybourne Hotel California
- Offshore Alert: Patrick McKillen et al v Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa et al Complaint
- Irish Times: McKillen Claims Qataris Reneged on Tens of Millions of LA Hotel Fees
- The Guardian: Court Ruling on Hotels Bid
- Wikipedia: Patrick McKillen
- Google Search: Qatar Royals Legal Issues
