Thanos Papalexis

Thanos Papalexis (Greek: Θάνος Παπαλέξης; born 23 July 1972 in London) was a previous businessman and property developer of Greek descent who was convicted of murder. In 2000 he murdered a tenant to secure a £2m deal on a London property he owned.

Business and disputes After leaving Mill Hill School and university, he joined his family's group of shipping companies and led its diversification from shipping and oil trading into real estate.

Papalexis was the head of several real estate investment and hospitality businesses. He created a 200-year landlease format which his companies acquired several properties in Palm Beach, Florida. He is best known for selling properties on such leases at the top of the market, one of which was sold for close to $12m after only 6 months of creating the lease. He was also known for holding separate negotiations with 119 individual unit owners of a hurricane damaged high rise building in West Palm Beach for up to $57m. The deal fell through after the $20m insurance claim the condoboard had represented to Papalexis would be collectable started to become questionable in its value.

Papalexis settled a dispute with Michael Cantor, from whom he had rented an oceanfront estate on Palm Beach. On 15 February 2008 The New York Times reported Cantor as saying, "I'm trying to ascertain the damages" after the property had been used for several lavish parties including a fundraising event with former US President Bill Clinton.

A company of which Papalexis was the founder is suing a leasing company for fraud regarding a luxury jet.

Murder of Charalambos Christodoulides In March 2000, Charalambos Christodoulides was tortured and beaten to death in a deserted warehouse in Kensal Rise, north-west London before his body was stuffed into an auto mechanic's pit.

At the time of the murder Papalexis had been trying to force through a £2m deal to buy the warehouse where Christodoulides lived and then sell it on for a quick profit in order to prop up another business. However Christodoulides refused to move and, worried about the potential financial consequences, Papalexis had him murdered.

In popular culture A 30-minute television programme called The Playboy Murderer, about Papalexis and the murder, was broadcast in July 2010.