D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A rich as Mayor Bloomberg on a slow day. And her annual income from the dividends on her L’Oreal stock is about $350 million per, or more than $30 million a month. That’s $670,000 a week. Who needs a lottery? Bettencourt has a daughter, an only child, about the same age as François-Marie Banier. She’s her arch nemesis. Coincidentally, her name is Françoise. And she thinks her mother should have her head examined giving all that money to this…man, and as a result, she is trying to get the French courts to order it back. Mother does not agree, and the two no longer speak. This all began at least four
years ago when Daughter dear was getting info from maman’s butler, who evidently taped all kinds of conversations that some people believe are proof that Banier is “taking advantage” of an old and mentally infirm woman. Maman thinks that’s ridiculous—of course she still has all her marbles as well as her billions. “It’s my money and I can do what I want with it,” she said. The couple have been friends since way back. He was also a friend of Madame’s late husband, Andre Bettencourt. The Bettencourts bought his art, appreciated his works, were friends, and among the charmed. Then M.
Bettencourt died. Madame, in her widowhood, became a greater friend of M. Banier. This is not so unusual for a person of advanced age who has lost loved ones and now faces an uncertain and perhaps solitary or isolated future. A woman like Liliane Bettencourt has the wherewithal to continue to living comfortably and with interest in the world outside an around her. These are the woman’s last chances, and no doubt she feels lucky to have the choices. Her lawyer, defending her, pointed out that she gives most of her money away and what difference does it make who gets it—a charity or an
individual—it is her money. Oh, and she’s also already turned over 90% of her stock in L’Oreal to her only child (maman still gets the income). To the outside world, it may look like Banier is the classic example of “just a gigolo” (“everywhere I go; people know the part I’m playing”). That would be a mistake. The multi-tasking connoisseur is quite famous in his world, the international world of the rich, the chic, and the shameless. It is a world that accommodates, even seeks out, a man of his creative means, especially when he possesses the talent to amuse. Think court jester. That is not to say that Banier ever acted as court
J . M c l a u g h l i n c e l e b r at e d “ a l l t h i n g s at o n c e ” b y m i k a b r z e z i n s k i at a p r i v at e r e s i d e n c e
Steven Siegler and Mika Brzezinski 38 QUEST
Catherine Moellering and Alina Cho
Tom and Heather Leeds
Pamela Gross and Jimmy Finkelstein
Barbara and Kevin McLaughlin
Joan and Jay McLaughlin
pat r i c k m c m u ll a n
Molly Froelich and Doug Larson