Michelle Mone and Douglas Barrowman have acquired a £10 million apartment on Fisher Island, Florida, known as ‘Billionaire Island.’ The purchase took place in July, just before a High Court ruling demanding their company, PPE Medpro, to repay £122 million to the UK Government for providing faulty surgical gowns during the pandemic.
Reports suggest that Mone, a former lingerie tycoon, had already moved to the US. Fisher Island, an exclusive enclave accessible only by ferry, yacht, or helicopter, is renowned for its affluent residents, including celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Julia Roberts.
The couple underwent a thorough screening process by the Fisher Island Club before their purchase was approved. Their new apartment offers luxurious amenities, including stunning ocean views and private lift access, amid the mounting scrutiny over the PPE scandal in the UK.
Their 5,000 sq ft residence features a wraparound terrace overlooking Miami Beach and high-end interior finishes like a state-of-the-art kitchen with granite countertops. Barrowman, an avid golfer, has easy access to a nearby nine-hole course, while Mone can enjoy the island’s private gym and upscale dining options.
As questions arise about their finances and Mone’s position in the House of Lords, pressure mounts for her resignation following the court’s ruling on the faulty gowns supplied by PPE Medpro. Despite demands for repayment from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the company missed the deadline and is now in administration, jeopardizing taxpayers’ chances of recovering the funds.
Mone and Barrowman have begun liquidating parts of their UK property portfolio, including a £19 million London townhouse and properties in Glasgow. Mark Williams-Thomas, representing Lady Mone, stated that Barrowman’s investment firm plans to refurbish and resell the Fisher Island property.