Mobile phone magnet John Caudwell has revealed plans to give away the vast majority of his mega wealth.
The entrepreneur, who made a fortune selling Phones4u, has promised to donate 70% of his wealth to good causes – at least
Caudwell, already one of Britain's largest philanthropists, announced the promise, up from a previous 50% commitment, during our exclusive interview.
The other 30% of his current £ 1,5billion fortune will be split between his five children, Rebekah, 39, Libby, 31, Rufus, 23, Scarlett, 17 and Jacobi, 15.
He says: " I do not want my children to be broken, but if you left your children all the wealth, it does nothing to balance the rich poor split.
"If they are worth billions, how about giving most of it and Just leave a few hundred million for the kids? They are still dirty rich, they can still ruin their lives.
"I don't think kids should get dirty and it will be good for them.
" And if that's good for them, it's probably not good for their kids, sooner or later come the chickens home to roost. "
Read more [19659012] The bold movement came as the 66-year-old businessman, now a real estate agent, turned his fire on tax , and avoided rich individuals and multinational.
The Tycon claims he has paid more than £ 300m in UK revenue tax over the past 10 years.
Caudwell shares his time between Britain, where he owns the 50-room £ 12million Jacobean Broughton Hall in Staffordshire and sumptuous home in Mayfair in London and Monaco, where his glamorous boyfriend Modesta Vzesniauskaite, a former Lithuanian cyclist, aged 35, is based.
His influence on wealth also increases a car fleet, a helicopter he flying and 73-meter superyacht Titania.
"I could easily be in Monaco with my boyfriend and not paying taxes," he says.
Asked what his rich friends are thinking of He does not, says he: "They think I'm a mug. I've had arguments about it. "
He goes on:" I have had to work as hell to get to where I am, but Britain has been good to me, Britain's people have been good to me. 19659002] We spoke to the magenta in the lavish surroundings of a Mayfair – For all its greatness, its dense pair of moccasin slippers sits at the bottom of the stairs near a bike he uses to ride every day and to meetings.
However, tycoon camping out here while his even larger home, once belonged to
The cost of the colossal overhaul was estimated a few years ago at £ 250million.
The finished home, measuring 44,000 square meters, includes one Thai-themed dining room, in honor of Caudwell's favorite food, complete with a river-filled river.
A large basement will include a new swimming pool and car lift to which up to six cars are stored. [19659002] The extravagant The home is far from Caudwell's humble roots, growing up in Stoke-on-Trent.
Caudwell with his ex Claire Johnson, who were the victims of a raid in his home (Image: PA) His mom worked in the post room of Royal Doulton and his father, as a leader of a stroke when John was 14 years old and died four years later, worked for an engineering company.
He still sees his mother regularly, sometimes twice a week, and often takes one of his home Caudwell once worked in a tire factory and sold used cars, but jumped on the cell phone revolution in the 1980s, which acted as Midland Mobile Phones – later renamed Phones4u.
It grew into a chain of nearly 600 stores and sold 26 phones a minute when it sold its business to £ 1,5billion in 2006.
But while he was online, more than 3,500 workers would lose their jobs after Phones4u collapsed in 2014 when mobile network died chain.
Caudwell was married to wife Kate for 25 years, but divorced in 2001.
He had a long term relationship with former model Claire Johnson.
Much of the time is now spent on charitable work through the Caudwell Barn, which helps disabled young people.
He also pumped £ 10million into the Caudwell International Children's Center in Staffordshire, a purpose built facility dedicated to autism support.
Billions are used to talking about in a helicopter (Image: Steve Woods / newsteam.co.uk) Tycoon encourages others with a lot of money to leave much of their wealth to charity.
"Wealthy people should think very seriously about getting the most out of it," he says. "Just let a few hundred million to the kids."
One of Caudwell's Monaco friends is shameless tycoon Philip Green. 19659002] He is keen to discuss the Topshop Baron, but says: "It is up to him to run his life the way he wants, but it's not my way. "
He is also critical of large corporations using smart accounting to cut their corporate tax bills." I think it's disgusting, "he says, adding government should consider criminalizing practices.
The second major issue Mr Caudwell feels passionate about Brexit, after being an avid supporter of the UK who left the EU.
He says he is desperate for the current political chaos, is critical of Theresa Mays handling the process and claims that Britain would Be Better with a Hard Brexit. Clearly no fan of the EU, he says: "Why do we want to be shortened by a lot of losers?"
Nevertheless, what about the fact that the EU is Britain's largest single trading party?
Caudwell enjoying the high life of Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Image: Instagram) "There are 20 times more people in the rest of the world than it is in Europe," is his answer, or the potentially devastating effect on certain secs economy if we crash?
Mr Caudwell replies, "If you learn something in business and in life, it is painful now, deal with the pain and get through it stronger than ever – and we wanted to."
It is no doubt much easier to take a little pain if you are a billionaire than a regular worker who loses her job because of Brexit.
"I do not know the answers to any of the problems," he admits, but adds: "I know we will find solutions, we continue."
One aspect of Caudwell's life he has not been able to move away from, is a chronic disease that has blighted the life of his son Rufus for the past 12 years.
From being an energetic and outgoing boy, aged 11, he deteriorated in devastating speed after being knocked off with a mystery sickness which left him mentally traumatized and needed 24 hours of supervision and houses bound for long periods due to extreme a drug.
At one point, the condition became so poor. Rufus did not leave the house for two and a half years.
John with Mirror's Graham Hiscott (Image: IAN VOGLER / DAILY MIRROR) ] He was eventually diagnosed with neurological Lyme disease.
But the real breakthrough came when the doctors later identified the main reason for his trauma, a barely known condition called Pans / Pandas.
Talking about the disease for the first time, Sa Caudwell: "The person feels they are being attacked by a knife, and it feels like the same anxiety they would feel if they were attacked by someone."
Nevertheless, the disease can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed
Studies in the United States indicate that one in 200 children may have the condition.
It has inspired Caudwell to set up a mission.
"It's my job to try to make sure that most of the UK has heard about Pans / Pandas in the next year, he says. 19659070] Read more
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