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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Liam Buckler

Inside eerie abandoned Osama Bin Laden's $7.5million family mansion in Florida

A huge five-bed family mansion complete with a swimming pool is just moments away from Disney World - but was owned by the world's most notorious terrorist.

The property, which was built in 1928, is located on Johns Lake in Oakland, Florida, and has seen multiple owners throughout the years due to its seven-bathrooms and sprawling estate.

It was previously owned by the President of Tupperware but its most famous owner is the Bin-Ladens - specifically Khalil Bin Laden, the brother of terrorist Osama Bin Laden, who has over 50 siblings.

In 1980 Khalil Bin Laden, the brother of Bin Laden, purchased the $1.6million (£1.3million) mansion for his wife through his company Desert Bear.

It is reported the terrorist stayed at the property while visiting his brother and Bin Laden's children even played in the garden.

Osama bin Laden is thought to have spent time at the huge mansion (AFP/Getty Images)

The mansion is just moments away from Orlando, DisneyWorld and right next to Johns Lake.

In the video by YouTuber Steve Ronin the explorer enters the eerily quiet mansion which features a marble bath tub, arched doorways, sweeping tiled floors and an outside swimming pool.

As he goes into the property there is a huge dining room with a fireplace which has been left unused for many years.

The mansion has been left to rot after it was abandoned (Steve Ronin/Youtube)

In the abandoned video, the house which was once described by Forbes magazine as one of the "creepiest abandoned mansions" there are dozens of bugs and fleas floating around.

Many users were stunned at the home and its links to the world's most famous terrorist as one user said: "What a beautiful Mansion! Its so sad that it is now over run with fleas and wasps!

"I mean that beautiful bathroom and the wood is destroyed with wasp nest! It's a complete shame. It has so much potential.

The swimming pool outside has seen better days (Steve Ronin/Youtube)

"But the history is tainted with blemish on the United States history, and because of association, the whole property became a legacy of failure. It's just sad."

Another said: "It’s like the developers wanted nothing to do with the property after the association with Bin Laden."

And a viewer believes the property needs to be demolished so it can be rid of its association with Bin Laden.

They wrote: "That mansion needs to be demolished and the land totally cleaned and back to nature. Get the stain of terrorists off it."

The hallway remains in a decent condition considering its neglect (Steve Ronin/Youtube)

The house has been subject to break-ins with many of them coming after 9/11, when the al-Qaeda leader had been the world's most wanted man since the terror attacks on America in 2001.

Bin Laden was tracked down to a compound in Abbottobad, Pakistan, and killed on May 2, 2011 in a raid by US special forces.

The family were forced to sell in 2006 to Aleem Hussain, who was later convicted of a $9 million (£7million) property scam.

This led to the home falling into a poor condition including the stables and four detached garages, which have been boarded up after they fell into disrepair.

The huge dinning room is still fitted with taps and plenty of cupboard space (Steve Ronin/Youtube)

Johns Lake Investment Group purchased the property and it was later transferred to John LeClair, who took deposits for weddings but abandoned the home and allegedly left people out of pocket.

However, in 2014, Gary and Dana English bought the mansion for $2 million (£1.7million) and attempted to sell a portion of the land for a luxury apartment complex - but it was rejected by city planners.

This led to the couple filing for bankruptcy, and the property was closed in 2019 and resold to Cornerstone Group Development LLC for $7.7 million (£5.8million).

It remains unclear what the future plans are for the tainted property with many businesses and property developers reluctant to purchase a house once owned by the world's most famous terrorist.

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