An abandoned Mulholland Drive mansion infamous for squatters and graffiti was recently secured by police.
Once the residence of Mary J. Blige, the $6.5 million home has sat vacant for years, attracting squatters and vandals who have tagged nearly every inch of the 9,000 square foot exterior with graffiti.
In recent weeks, videos of the derelict home went viral on social media.
The owner of the property, 40-year-old producer John Powers Middleton, issued an apology last week, saying his private security had been overwhelmed by the number of squatters and vandals since the home was vacated a few years ago. He vowed to clean up the mansion, and hire more security.
Middleton is the son of billionaire tobacco scion John S. Middleton, who is a co-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies. Records show he has worked in TV and film for nearly a decade, serving as a co-producer on films in “The Lego Movie” franchise, and executive producing “The Grudge” and “The Disaster Artist”, among others.
He purchased the Mulholland Dr. home in 2012 for $4.7 million. Featuring a 50-foot swimming pool, grand spiral staircase and outdoor waterfall, the mansion was prominently featured in the music video for Sean “Diddy” Comb’s 2007 single “Last Night”.
Records show that an abatement order was issued by the Department of Building and Safety on the Mulholland Dr. home nearly two years ago, to which Powers Middleton never responded. Neighbors told the Los Angeles Times that criminal activity at the house had worsened in recent years.
Last year, a man camping at the home attacked an elderly woman with a metal bar, according to the Times. And in late September, two people carrying a loaded gun were arrested on the property.
Following this latest incident, LAPD and workers hired by Powers Middleton descended on the Mulholland Dr. mansion, boarding up windows, erecting a chain link fence, and beginning to cover up the graffiti.
Interestingly, it’s not the only home in Powers Middleton’s real estate portfolio to have fallen into disrepair. Less than five miles away, on Sunset Plaza Drive, a four-story mansion he purchased for $7 million in March 2013 sits abandoned as well, covered in graffiti.
