Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp, is paying $ 87 million for a mansion in Malibu, California, right next to one he already owns, according to two people familiar with the deal.
The transaction is the latest deal for Mr. Koum to the Los Angeles area. In 2019 he bought neighboring Malibu property from entertainment executive Ron Meyer for $ 100 million. Then, last year, Mr. Koum spent $ 125 million on the Beverly Hills estate, Quibi founder Jeffrey Katzenberg.
The seller of the latest transaction is Diana Jenkins, a Bosnian businesswoman and philanthropist. Ms Jenkins, founder of the healthy drink company Neuro Drinks, was previously married to British financier Roger Jenkins. His home went on sale last May for $ 125 million, The Wall Street Journal reported. It is located in Malibu’s Paradise Cove, and its former owners are Barry Diller and the late country singer Kenny Rogers.
Sitting on top of a cliff, the property has its own funicular leading to the ocean (Mr. Rogers received a $ 2 million fine for local government facilities) At nearly 3 acres, includes a five-bedroom house with vaulted ceilings, spike floors and floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto the gardens. It also has a dance studio and a recording studio. On site there is a three-bedroom guest house, a swimming pool, a waterfall and a koi pond, a sports court and a guard house.
The funicular leads to a seafront cabin, which has retractable roofs, a wet bar, a built-in barbecue and a fireplace.