David and Victoria Beckham spark fresh outrage over $12.5M loan to buy Miami penthouse while furloughing staff
The Beckhams have come under fire for plans to dip into taxpayers' money to pay their staff after reports said they took a multimillion-pound bank loan to buy a property.
David and Victoria Beckham drew major backlash after it came to light that 46-year-old Vicky was planning to exploit taxpayers' money to pay dozens of staff members at her fashion empire instead of spending some of her £335 million ($419M) personal wealth to compensate them, the Daily Mirror reports.
The Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer was forced to step back from her furloughing plans following the outrage. However, she and her soccer legend husband, David, 45, are facing new criticism after details of a past financial decision of theirs recently surfaced.
Vicky and Dave allegedly took out a £10 million ($12.5M) bank loan to purchase a lavish property in the United States last year despite having more than enough capital to buy out the staggering £18 million ($22.5M) home, according to The Sun on Sunday.
The decision to purchase the Miami penthouse using a bank loan has now raised several awkward questions for the world-famous couple.
“Given the vast wealth of the mega-rich pair, it’s a bit rich of them to have taken out a loan," a source told The Sun. "If they hadn’t borrowed cash to buy yet another pad, perhaps they wouldn’t have had to furlough staff in the first place."
“If Victoria could borrow £10million to buy a Miami bolthole, there are probably a few people thinking she could have borrowed money in the first place to pay her staff, rather than try and rely on the taxpayer," the source reportedly added.
According to the report, the said loan was applied for at the end of 2019 -- around the time the couple recorded their first-ever joint financial loss as "Victoria’s fashion empire struggled and David’s star power showed signs of waning."
Having said that, the luxurious property in question reportedly boasts five bedrooms, a swimming pool, a hair salon, spa, gym, juice bar, as well as a helicopter landing pad.
This comes just days after the Beckhams were blasted for trying to apply for government funds to compensate employees of Victoria's fashion label. At the time, British journalist Piers Morgan branded Vicky a "pampered prima donna" and described her fashion empire as a "failed vanity project."
Meanwhile, David Beckham recently cut ties with popular clothing brand Kent & Curwen after the business reported a loss of $22 million.
The former soccer superstar joined the upmarket fashion label in 2015 to boost its business. He was also reportedly getting a seven-figure sum to be a business partner. However, he left just months after he launched a high profile collection with the brand, inspired by the hit show ‘Peaky Blinders'.
“He actually parted company with the business at the end of last year. But contractual negotiations are still ongoing,” a source told The Sun. Though he has quit the firm, Beckham remains the face of the business, and the official website claims he still is a business partner.