The daughter of a Russian billionaire
has been unveiled as the buyer of the Greek island where shipping
tycoon Aristotle Onassis married Jackie Kennedy.
Ekaterina Rybolovleva, daughter of business magnate Dmitry Rybolovlev, has bought Skorpios, her father's investment office confirmed today.
The 24-year-old purchased the island in the Ionian Sea, west of Greece, from Onassis' sole surviving heir, granddaughter Athina Onassis Roussel, 28, for a reported £100million.
‘Ekaterina is delighted that the trust has negotiated this purchase,’ a representative of Rybolovlev's family investment office said, confirming she also acquired the neighbouring island of Sparti.
‘She regards the acquisition as a long-term financial investment.’
Miss Rybolovleva's father Dmitry, co-founder of the Russian potash producer Uralkali, has a history of snapping up trophy properties and is the owner of the AS Monaco Football Club.
The island of Skorpios was bought by Onassis in 1962, believed to have cost just 3.5 million drachmas, the equivalent of about £10,000.
Six years later it hosted his wedding to Jacqueline Kennedy, the widow of the late President John F Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963.
After his death Skorpios passed to his daughter Christina, who died of a heart attack aged 37 in 1988, and then to Athina, the Daily Telegraph reports.
According to Greek press the contracts for the purchase of the private island are being drawn up by law firms in Athens and Geneva.
Farhad Vladi, whose company, Vladi Private Islands, has hundreds of islands on its books, told the paper that while he had not heard of the deal, it was possible Ms Onassis Roussel had decided to sell the island.
He said: 'These Russian oligarchs have billions, so it may be that one of them came along and said "I will give you 100 million or 200 million euros for it". Anything is possible.'
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It is believed she has little interest in spending time on the island, or in Greece.
He said the water comes from a mountain bought by Aristotle Onassis on a nearby island, and that anyone who bought the island would need to buy the mountain also, which he estimated would cost upwards of 100 million euros.
The mayor of the nearby island of Meganisi, Efstathios Zavitsanos, said the deal was likely to be a long-term lease since Aristotle Onassis's will stated that Skorpios could not be sold or leave the family.
‘We have lived with the Onassis legend and it will never fade,’ he said. ‘You see, Aristotle was close to the local society, the fishermen and the residents. He was not just a rich man, he was truly loved.’
It is also home to three residences, a helicopter landing pad and a boat quay.
Swiss-educated Ms Onassis Roussel is the only surviving descendant of the shipping magnate.
Ms Onassis Roussel was born in France, and is the only child of Christina Onassis and her fourth husband, Thierry Roussel.
She is married to Brazilian Olympic show jumper, Alvaro de Miranda Neto, and lives in Sao Paulo.
In the past there have been rumours that Giorgio Armani, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, and Madonna were interested in buying the tiny island.
Ekaterina Rybolovleva, daughter of business magnate Dmitry Rybolovlev, has bought Skorpios, her father's investment office confirmed today.
The 24-year-old purchased the island in the Ionian Sea, west of Greece, from Onassis' sole surviving heir, granddaughter Athina Onassis Roussel, 28, for a reported £100million.
‘Ekaterina is delighted that the trust has negotiated this purchase,’ a representative of Rybolovlev's family investment office said, confirming she also acquired the neighbouring island of Sparti.
‘She regards the acquisition as a long-term financial investment.’
Miss Rybolovleva's father Dmitry, co-founder of the Russian potash producer Uralkali, has a history of snapping up trophy properties and is the owner of the AS Monaco Football Club.
The island of Skorpios was bought by Onassis in 1962, believed to have cost just 3.5 million drachmas, the equivalent of about £10,000.
Six years later it hosted his wedding to Jacqueline Kennedy, the widow of the late President John F Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963.
After his death Skorpios passed to his daughter Christina, who died of a heart attack aged 37 in 1988, and then to Athina, the Daily Telegraph reports.
According to Greek press the contracts for the purchase of the private island are being drawn up by law firms in Athens and Geneva.
Farhad Vladi, whose company, Vladi Private Islands, has hundreds of islands on its books, told the paper that while he had not heard of the deal, it was possible Ms Onassis Roussel had decided to sell the island.
He said: 'These Russian oligarchs have billions, so it may be that one of them came along and said "I will give you 100 million or 200 million euros for it". Anything is possible.'
Scroll down for video
Island trading: Athina Onassis Roussel, the
28-year-old granddaughter of Aristotle Onassis, right, has sold the
Skorpios to fellow equestrian Ekaterina Rybolovleva
Sold: The Greek island where Aristotle Onassis married Jackie Kennedy has been sold 'for £100million'
Jackie Onassis and Aristotle Onassis, on
Skorpios, Greece in 1968. The island, off the western coast of Greece,
was bought by Onassis in 1962
Mr Vladi said he was asked by Ms Onassis Roussel to carry out an evaluation of the island eight years ago.It is believed she has little interest in spending time on the island, or in Greece.
He said the water comes from a mountain bought by Aristotle Onassis on a nearby island, and that anyone who bought the island would need to buy the mountain also, which he estimated would cost upwards of 100 million euros.
The mayor of the nearby island of Meganisi, Efstathios Zavitsanos, said the deal was likely to be a long-term lease since Aristotle Onassis's will stated that Skorpios could not be sold or leave the family.
‘We have lived with the Onassis legend and it will never fade,’ he said. ‘You see, Aristotle was close to the local society, the fishermen and the residents. He was not just a rich man, he was truly loved.’
Like father, like daughter: Ekaterina, 24, is
the daughter of Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev who owns AS Monaco
Football Club
The island hosted many parties during
the time of Aristotle Onassis, who is buried there, as is his daughter
and his son, Alexander, who died in a plane crash in 1973. It is also home to three residences, a helicopter landing pad and a boat quay.
Swiss-educated Ms Onassis Roussel is the only surviving descendant of the shipping magnate.
Ms Onassis Roussel was born in France, and is the only child of Christina Onassis and her fourth husband, Thierry Roussel.
She is married to Brazilian Olympic show jumper, Alvaro de Miranda Neto, and lives in Sao Paulo.
In the past there have been rumours that Giorgio Armani, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, and Madonna were interested in buying the tiny island.
Family home: After Aristotle's death Skorpios passed to Onassis' daughter Christina, who died of a heart attack aged 37 in 1988