A second abandoned California mansion owned by the son of a billionaire is covered in graffiti after “Diddy was here” was scrawled on another mansion where accused sex trafficker Sean Combs once filmed a music video.
The abandoned home is owned by John Powers Middleton, the son of businessman and Philadelphia Phillies owner John S. Middleton, and has been occupied by various squatters over the years. KABC reported..
The two properties, at Sunset Plaza and Mulholland Drive, have become eyesores in the affluent Hollywood Hills neighborhood and pose safety concerns, neighbors said.
And nothing seems to stop the vandals.
A second home in Sunset Plaza was given a fresh coat of paint last week, but was hit with new graffiti on Monday, according to KABC.
And this problem has been going on for years.
According to local news stations, an armed man with a dog had squatted at a Sunset Plaza home before being arrested in January 2022, and police returned in August 2023 after further squatters vandalized the property.
Neighbors say the home was once treasured, thoughtfully built and cared for, with the original owners paying attention to every detail, including three swimming pools and a helipad.
“It's a tragedy,” Alexander Gorbis, who was friends with the former owner's son, told KABC. [virtually] “I grew up in that house. I saw it when it was very small and didn't have much going for it. I grew up with the son of the previous builder and to see it now is moving beyond words.”
Middelton's other property, worth an estimated $6.53 million, is facing foreclosure for unpaid property taxes. Ten people were evicted from their homes earlier this month and police were called to the site six times in September.
A local councillor told the station that Middleton was “in serious breach of the law” by improperly handling the property.
“This is a public safety issue that has serious implications for both neighbors and the surrounding area,” City Councilman Nitya Raman said in a statement. “Irresponsible property owners must take responsibility for their properties or face action from the city.”
