The sprawling $20 million mansion on Kiawah Island in South Carolina — where President Biden and his family are currently staying free of charge — has been plagued for years by a laundry list of problems, including mold, mildew, termites and cracks, according to a new report.
The Post reported last week that the Bidens, including disgraced first son Hunter, are spending their summer vacation at the beachfront property owned by big-time Democratic donor Maria Allwin — the widow of hedge fund founder James Allwin.
“They stayed here before and they’re not paying,” a source closed to Allwin said. “They’ve never paid. They’re just friends.”
The Daily Mail reported on Monday, citing court documents, that behind its seemingly pristine façade, the nine-bedroom estate that has hosted the Bidens on and off since 2009 has become something of a money pit and the subject of several rounds of litigation.
A 2019 appeals court ruling in Allwin’s lawsuit against the builders of her home described the many issues that have bedeviled the luxury property over the years, including mold and mildew, multiple cracks, peeling wallpaper and damaged drywall, leaks, warped hardwood flooring and termites.
According to the lawsuit, Allwin first became aware of the problems back in 1999 — just five years after construction on her mansion was finished.
A contractor that Allwin hired to assess the condition of the property told her in 2004 that the roof was “so poorly installed the only way to properly repair the roof is to replace it” to the tune of more than $500,000, according to the document.
Allwin balked at the high price tag but proceeded to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into an array of home repairs over the next several years. She ultimately sued the company that built her home, Russ Cooper Associates, in 2013, but lost at trial because she waited too long to file the complaint and the statue of limitations had run out. She appealed the ruling, but the appeals court rejected her claim on the same grounds.
Allwin’s house problems did not scare away the Bidens, who stayed there in August 2009, April 2012, April 2014, June 2015 and August 2015, according to records obtained by the outlet from Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop as well as records from Biden’s time as President Barack Obama’s vice president.
Allwin has known Joe and Jill Biden socially for more than a decade, the source told The Post last week, adding that they do not have any joint business dealings.
Ahead of the 2020 election, Allwin sent a $35,000 check to the Biden Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.
She has contributed generously to a variety of mostly Democratic political campaigns, but her most recent donations were to Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and a PAC supporting her effort to beat back a primary challenge by Donald Trump-endorsed Harriet Hageman
Allwin family’s firm, Aetos Capital, is currently run by Maria’s son, Chris, and manages $11.31 billion worth of assets.
