Kevin Spacey is reportedly seeking $100,000 to move out of his Baltimore home, even though it was sold to someone else. In July, Spacey’s 9,000 square foot, five-floor condo in a gated community was seized and auctioned off. This happened after the actor fell behind on payments because he had no work following the #MeToo allegations.
Real estate investor Sam Asghari (no relation to Britney Spears’ ex-husband Sam Asghari) reportedly bought the property for $3.24 million. He has now accused Spacey of “extorting” money from him. “He asked me for $100,000 to leave the property on November 17th and I said no, but he said that’s his final offer,” Asghari told the New York Post. “He’s saying I’m bullying him to play the sympathy card. He wants to use negative publicity to paint himself as the victim. Well, I’m not planning on being his victim.”
“We will fight and we will fight him legally. If he stays longer than the stipulated time, I will sue him on a daily basis,” Asgari said.
‘He is not giving any reason as to why he will not go’
Asghari revealed that he already has to pay $40,000 every month for homeowners fees, taxes, utility bills and other charges. Spacey reportedly tried to stop the original sale of the property last week. He paid $5.65 million for the home in 2017.
Emails filed in court documents show that Asghari offered Spacey $50,000 if he moved out of the home by September 15. Spacey’s supporters have said he can stay in the home until February provided he does not interfere with the sale. Spacey has accused Asghari of “bullying” him and trying to force him out of the home.
Asghari and his broker are reportedly not allowed past the gatehouse to access the property. Asghari’s colleague, Compass Real Estate broker Sam Sheibani, said that even though they have tried to be cordial, Spacey is not doing so.
“He’s not giving any reason as to why he won’t leave, like he’s homeless or something,” Sheibani said. “It’s really weird. On what planet is it okay to hold someone’s property and demand a lot of money if they want it back? Now that really sounds like extortion, like he’s holding the property for ransom.”
Legally, though, Spacey is not staying illegally. After a foreclosure auction, the court has to approve the sale before the highest bidder can officially sign the deed. This process can take several months. In the meantime, the former homeowner can stay on the property. However, a buyer can offer the former homeowner a payment to leave as quickly as possible — known as a ‘cash-for-keys’ offer.
