![]() He once paid a tax adviser in French francs after being billed for tax work in Swiss francs and pocketed the difference on the exchange rate, one person familiar with the incident says. Stern hated to lose money, however small the sum. Torn between his desire to be embraced by France's elite and his disregard for its business and social etiquette, he eventually moved to Switzerland. Along the way, he ousted his father from the family firm, feuded with his powerful father-in-law, who headed investment bank Lazard, and divorced his wife. Stern amassed a $1 billion fortune through a series of often brilliant business deals. ![]() Stern called as many as six times a day to talk to him about Rhodia.ĭuring his eventful career, Mr. One of his lawyers says that in the final months of his life, Mr. He told associates he thought he was being followed. He was haunted by the belief that his life was in danger and took to carrying a gun, according to his lawyers and associates. Before his death, he had squared off against some of France's leading businessmen over his failed investment in a chemicals company, Rhodia SA. Stern shielded from even close family members - the 50-year-old banker had become obsessed by a legal battle. Stern would often promise to marry her and then renege.Īlongside the turmoil in his private life - which Mr. For example, she says through her attorney, Mr. Stern's abusive behavior, someone who lost control in a moment of fury and grabbed the gun her lover kept in a drawer. Brossard portrays herself as a victim of Mr. Brossard says his client committed a "crime of passion." Under Swiss law, that carries a shorter prison sentence than premeditated murder. She then fired a final shot into his right temple.A different lawyer for Ms. When the first bullet struck him, her lawyers relate, Edouard, exceptionally fit at the age 50, stood up, but crumpled to the floor after Cécile fired two more shots into his body. Still, Cécile was far from happy about Edouard's handling of the money and became enraged, her lawyers maintain, when Edouard said something to the effect of "$1 million is a lot of money to pay for a whore." Cécile then removed one of the pistols Edouard kept in a drawer and shot him at point blank range. Cécile slipped once more into her fetish garb as the dominatrix, and Edouard put on his latex body suit to let Cécile tie him up, ready to be punished. Nothing was resolved, but evidently both had sex on their minds. On February 28, Cécile came to Edouard's apartment with, her lawyer's claim, the intention to discuss why Edouard had reneged on his promise. Stern's family maintains the money was a down payment for the purchase of some paintings for Edouard, but Cécile's lawyers maintain that the money was a lover's present which Edouard revoked in an attempt to maintain control over her. But in February, documents show, Edouard then reversed the wire transfer and the money was frozen in her account. Cécile then sent Edouard a letter in which she said that the gift of a million euros would prove that he really loved her.Įdouard then, Cécile claimed, made good on his promise and wired $1 million to Cécile's account in January. But when the money was not wired to her account a few days later as promised, Cécile told Edouard she wanted to end their relationship. Still, Cécile would not, she claimed, abandon her relationship with Gillet to marry and live with Stern.Ĭécile's lawyers claim Edouard proposed marriage to Cécile in December 2004 and offered to "make her independent." Part of Edouard's marriage proposal, they say, was the offer to pay Cécile $1 million. Whether or not Gillet approved of Cécile's relationship with Edouard, it seems Gillet and Cécile's relationship was more platonic than that of a husband and wife. Despite his riches, Cécile's relationship with Edouard varied over the years.
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