A former bodyguard to Petra Ecclestone’s ex-husband has denied stealing a £515,000 diamond from his boss’ Belgravia home.
Justinas Ivaskevicius, 34, is accused of taking the 18-carat yellow-cut gem from the safe at billionaire James Stunt’s townhouse in December 2017.
Westminster magistrates court heard this morning that the diamond was sold to a Bond Street jeweller and eventually made its way to New York via Belgium.
Mr Stunt, a former gold bullion dealer with interests in mining, art, and wine, was married to Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone between 2011 and 2017
Their union ended in an acrimonious divorce battle, with Ms Ecclestone gaining custody of their three children.
Ivaskevicius, who worked as a bodyguard to Mr Stunt, is accused of stealing the diamond months after the break-up of the marriage, between December 12 and December 15, 2017
He is also charged with possessing criminal property after tens of thousands of pounds were seized by police on his arrest this week.
Ivaskevicius, who holds dual Lithuanian and British nationality, appeared in court by videolink from custody this morning, pleading not guilty to theft and the money laundering charge.
He was arrested by the Met’s Flying Squad on Wednesday in Cambridge, where he lives.
Police announced Ivaskevicius' arrest last night, and news of Mr Stunt's involvement as the alleged victim emerged this morning.
District Judge Angus Hamilton remanded him in custody until a plea hearing at Southwark crown court on June 26.
