Peter Thiel purchased Los Angeles’ Casa Encantada, a 40,000‑sq‑ft Bel‑Air mansion, for $130 M at a foreclosure auction in Pomona on July 12, 2024, through a shell limited‑liability company that remained anonymous until the bid cleared.
The estate, once listed at $225 M in 2019 and $250 M in 2023, fell to auction after late investor Gary Winnick died in 2023, leaving the property encumbered by a loan from CIM Group that the family could not cover.
Built in 1938 by architect James Dolena, Casa Encantada covers 8.4 acres and boasts 7 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a 60‑ft pool, tennis court, and a walnut‑panelled library, features that have made it one of Los Angeles’ most iconic homes.
The sale stayed under the radar for months; the LLC’s name was not disclosed until the final day of bidding, prompting speculation among Los Angeles real‑estate circles about Thiel’s motives.
Los Angeles County clerk Maria Alvarez confirmed that the deed will be recorded on August 15, making Thiel the official owner, while the former owner’s daughter, Susan Winnick, mourned the loss of the family’s legacy.
Thiel’s acquisition adds to his growing portfolio of luxury properties that already includes estates in Miami, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, New Zealand, and a newly acquired mansion in Buenos Aires.