Editor’s Note: On April 5, the lawsuit against Politi was discontinued with prejudice. Politi also told The Daily Beast that he has paid his rent.
Ginger Spice’s former fiance is being sued after allegedly refusing to pay eight months’ rent for his luxury New York City apartment.
Italian Fabrizio Politi, a self-proclaimed entrepreneur who is best known for being briefly engaged to Geri Halliwell in 2009, has allegedly not paid upwards of $39,600 in rent for his fully furnished apartment at the “historic Essex House building/hotel on Central Park South,” according to a civil complaint filed Saturday in New York Supreme Court. The complaint alleges that Politi signed his lease in December 2021 and paid his monthly rent of $4,950 for about four months before “he stopped paying rent completely.”
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“In or around November 2022, Defendant Politi promised [his landlord] that he would make good on his unpaid rent, citing a purported mix-up with his banks, but he never did,” the complaint, alleging breach of contract and unjust enrichment, states.
The allegation of skipping out on his rent seemingly defies Politi’s online persona, where he promotes himself as a successful entrepreneur and globe-trotting CEO of a social-commerce platform, United Free. He made international headlines in 2009, however, when the once-luxury yacht tycoon proposed to the Spice Girl just weeks after meeting. According to the Daily Mail, Halliwell called off their engagement in March 2009, three months after they announced their marriage plans.
Despite the brief engagement, it seems like Politi still tries to maintain at least online ties with Halliwell and other celebrities. On his Instagram—which bears the caption “#entrepreneur #investor #founder #ceo #inventor”—Politi has a pinned photograph of himself with Ginger Spice and her then toddler daughter from 2010. He also posted two other photos of him and Halliwell this month alone—and made her latest Instagram his story on Saturday.
In another pinned photograph, Politi has a photo of him alongside supermodel Naomi Campbell.
But despite his luxurious social media presence, the landlord of his New York apartment alleges he has been saving money by not paying for his one-bedroom apartment directly across Central Park. A listing for the apartment boasts that the unit comes with the conveniences of a five-star hotel, including a 24-hour doorman, fitness center, dry cleaning service, and a newly renovated spa.
The complaint claims that Politi, an Italian citizen, and resident of Luxembourg, signed his one-year lease on Dec. 2, 2021.
“Politi regularly and frequently travels to New York City for business and social purposes, including to further the interest of his companies, including United Free, Inc.,” the complaint alleges.
While he paid until March 2022 via wire transfers, the complaint alleges he did not pay for the last eight months until he eventually left the unit that December. The landlord allegedly sent notices of unpaid rent to Politi twice in November 2022—and several times in December—to notify him he was “in default, in the amount of $39,600.” However, the complaint alleges he never paid.
“Politi obtained rent-free possession of the Unit for (8) eight months, during which time Defendant Politi, a foreign citizen, could visit New York, do business on behalf of Defendant United Free in New York, and promote Defendant United Free and himself as an officer of Defendant United Free and successful resident of the prestigious and historical building on Central Park South,” the complaint alleges.
In a statement to The Daily Beast, Politi said he had not been aware that the rent payments were not being made, and that there was an issue with his bank due to “online access to all non-resident customers in the States” being blocked after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said he has every intention of paying and will hopefully “complete the checks this week.”
“I’ve never had or created problems, this is a problem created by the bank during the pandemic,” he said.
Editor’s Note: On April 5, the lawsuit against Politi was discontinued with prejudice. Politi also told The Daily Beast that he has paid his rent.
