Key facts
- Peter Thiel is the new owner of the Casa Encantada mansion in Bel Air.
- The mansion sold for $130 million at a foreclosure auction.
- The 1938 estate spans 40,000 square feet on 8.4 acres.
- The property was previously listed for $250 million.
- Thiel plans to upgrade the mansion as an investment.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has been identified as the buyer of a historic Bel Air mansion, Casa Encantada, which sold for $130 million at a foreclosure auction in July. The Wall Street Journal first reported the buyer's identity, linking the purchase to a limited liability company associated with the venture capitalist.
The 1938 estate, which spans 40,000 square feet on approximately 8.4 acres, was previously listed for as much as $250 million. Its former owner, the late telecom mogul Gary Winnick, had sought $225 million in 2019 and $250 million in 2023 before his death in 2023 amid significant debt.
Casa Encantada features seven bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a library, a tennis court, terraced gardens, a 60-foot swimming pool, and a two-story guesthouse. Previous owners include hotel magnate Conrad Hilton and billionaire David Murdock.
According to the Journal's report, Thiel had considered the property for months before the auction. He reportedly plans to upgrade the mansion as an investment rather than a primary residence, adding it to a real estate portfolio that includes properties in Hawaii, New Zealand, Miami, Washington D.C., and Buenos Aires. Thiel reportedly relocated his primary residence to Florida last year.