5 Abandoned Celebrity Mansions With Their Own Intriguing Stories

There is little doubt that celebrities have the most lavish homes you can find in any neighborhood. So it’s no surprise that these houses are immediately purchased by new homeowners as soon as they are available. However, some celebrity mansions have been mysteriously abandoned despite being possible hot properties. These homes happen to have some intriguing stories of their own.

A few of these old mansions have been purchased but still remain abandoned to this day. Others have been given a new life after its former celebrity owner left the house. Nevertheless, these expensive homes have fascinating tales that could explain why they are no longer occupied.

Neverland Ranch

Michael Jackson’s idyllic 2,700-acre property was once the kind of place that kids only dreamed of. It was filled with zoo animals, two railroads, a Ferris Wheel, bumper cars, and a roller coaster, and children certainly loved hanging out at the California property. However, things changed in 2003.

Jackson faced child abuse allegations that year and although the musician was cleared of charges, it took a toll on his finances. By 2009, he sold the ranch to Colony Capitol, who is still trying to sell it for $67 million. The documentary Leaving Neverland is named after the ranch where the abuse allegedly took place.

The Minnelli Mansion

The Beverly Hills mansion was reportedly built in 1925 before being
remodeled by architect John Elgin Woolf. Soon it was purchased by director Vincente Minnelli and life was good.

When Vincente passed away, he left the estate to his daughter Liza but gave
his wife Lee unlimited, lifetime access to the house. When Liza decided to sell the house, Lee fought back by filing a lawsuit against her step-daughter, accusing Liza of breach of contract, elder abuse, and infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit was eventually dropped and the mansion was sold. However, the new owners are still undecided about what to do with the property and it sits abandoned to this day.

Mike Tyson’s Ohio Mansion

The former boxer certainly knew how to live life to the fullest. His former home near Southington, Ohio once housed Tyson’s four tigers and actually had money-covered ceilings and walls. Unfortunately, the boxer had to leave it behind when he went to prison for three years in 1996.

The mansion found a new owner in Tae-bo entrepreneur Paul Monea, who also ended up abandoning it over conspiracy and money laundering charges. It currently belongs to The Living World Sanctuary Church, which is trying to convert it into a church.

The Hook End Manor

The unassuming 11-bedroom mansion sits quietly in South Oxfordshire, UK but it was once the home of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. Naturally, the rock star added some quirky touches like a tombstone in the basement and a recording studio. However, things turned tragic when Gilmour sold the house to record producer Trevor Horn.

In June 2006, Horn’s son was target-shooting with his air rifle at the mansion. He accidentally shot his own mother, who survived but spent more than three years in a coma and retained brain damage. Horn sold the house after the incident and the mystery buyer has since turned it into a commercial studio space. Nevertheless, it remains unoccupied.

Bruce Lee’s Hong Kong Home

The late actor’s house in Hong Kong wasn’t as extravagant as the other mansions in the list. However, it deserves a place for everything that happened after Lee’s passing in 1973.

Chinese philanthropist Yu Pang-lin bought the property and immediately turned it into a “love hotel” where rooms are purchased by the hour. However, he changed his mind about the business move and tried to sell the house to raise funds for the 2008 Sichuan earthquake victims. When Lee’s fans begged him to preserve it in honor of Lee, Pang-lin tried to turn it into a museum but was denied by the government.

When Pang-lin finally passed away, he left the mansion to charity. It is currently being converted into a Chinese studies center for 400 children and will open in September 2019.