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The Digest:

The late Herbert Wigwe, former group chief executive officer of Access Holdings Plc, has been linked to the ownership of 106 properties in London, according to a report by The Londoner. The report, titled 'Revealed: The billionaires who really own London', unveils secret overseas owners of 32,000 real estate properties across the city following a recent change in UK law forcing foreign companies to register their real owners. Wigwe ranked seventh on the list of billionaire homeowners. The report noted that 2,224 of London's most expensive properties are registered by companies in St Helier, Jersey, a notorious tax haven.

Key Points:
  • Wigwe's 106 properties place him seventh among billionaire homeowners in London, ahead of numerous international investors.
  • The report was made possible by a UK law change requiring foreign companies to disclose their real owners.
  • Wigwe died in a helicopter crash in California on February 9, 2024, alongside his wife, son, and former NGX Group chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
  • Since his passing, Wigwe's family has reportedly been embroiled in litigation over his estate.
  • The properties are registered through companies based in Jersey, a British island known as a tax haven.

As details of Wigwe's extensive London property portfolio emerge, the report adds to the growing scrutiny of offshore asset ownership, while his family continues to navigate legal battles over his estate.

Sources: TheCable