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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Merrifield

Woman dead after 'conning banker boyfriend out of £4million' was no call girl, says ex

The grieving ex-husband of a nightclub boss accused of being a call girl who conned her banker lover out of millions before being found dead has called the claims "absolute rubbish".

Magdalena Zalinska's body was discovered by police after they broke down the door of her apartment in Clapham, south London, last Saturday.

She was being sued in the High Court by Edi Truell - the brother of her late financier boyfriend Danny Truell - for allegedly obtaining £4million by 'undue influence'.

Danny Truell died of a neurological condition in 2019, aged 55.

The lawsuit saw Ms Zalinska, 44 - who was left a large chunk of Mr Truell's £18million estate - accused of being a prostitute.

Danny Truell died of a neurological condition aged 55 in 2019 (Champion News)

However her former spouse Wojtek Zalinska told MailOnline: "That was absolute rubbish, she was never a call girl. Never.

"I do not know why such hurtful things were said about her in the court.

"That is wrong and should not have been said. She is not here to defend herself now so I will do it."

Grieving Mr Zalinska now plans to fly to London to meet with his sons Jan and Aleksandra and make funeral arrangements.

Ms Zalinska was being sued by her late lover's brother (Champion News)

He and his ex-wife divorced 20 years ago but remained in contact, last seeing each other a year ago, he added.

Edi Truell, 61, claims Ms Zalinska was his brother's paid carer from 2012 and did not live with him.

She was left more than £1million in the former Goldman Sachs banker's will, in which he described her as his "partner and dependent".

Ms Zalinska's body was found in the flat she had rented from Danny Truell.

The flat in Clapham that Mr Truell owned (Champion News)
Police said Ms Zalinska's body was found during a routine check (Champion News)

The Labour Party member had been a contemporary of former PM Boris Johnson at Oxford's Balliol College.

In 2005, he joined the charity Wellcome Trust as its chief investment officer.

He divorced his wife Naomi in 2011 and the next year he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis which later became a form of motor neurone disease.

In a previous court hearing, Mr Justice Michael Green said Mr Truell lived a "frugal lifestyle" despite being wealthy.

Danny Truell was a contemporary of Boris Johnson at Oxford (PA)

The court heard Ms Zalinska was the beneficiary of several bank transfers prior to his death.

These included £1.34million paid to her nightclub company, another £915,000 sent to her directly and £1.36million on spending and withdrawals using his debit card.

Mr Truell also transferred the interest in the Clapham flat to her.

In a hearing earlier this year, Mr Justice Michael Green said Ms Zalinska was "rightly, in my view, offended by any suggestion that she was not in a deep and loving relationship with the deceased, or that she had taken advantage of him".

Magdalena Zalinska was a nightclub boss (Champion News)

She was found after concerns were raised about her welfare.

A Met Police spokesman told the Mirror: "Police on routine patrol were approached at around 3.58pm on Saturday, March 11 by people concerned for the welfare of an occupant at a residential address in Lavender Gardens SW11.

"Officers forced entry and found a 46-year-old woman deceased. Her next of kin have been informed.

"The death is being treated as unexpected, though initial enquiries determined it was not suspicious. The Coroner has been informed."

A full trial over the £4million was set for next year.

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