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Ben Affleck has had some unexpected – and unwanted – guests to his Brentwood property. FBI agents and Los Angeles police officers descended upon his $20 million bachelor pad amid the chaos of the Palisades Fire, prompting speculations on what could connect the Hollywood actor to a federal investigation.
Photos captured on Sunday, Jan. 12, and released by Page Six a day later showed federal agents and cops swarming Affleck’s estate. While the sight of law enforcement outside the Gone Girl star’s home might suggest a scandal, the truth appears to be linked to the destructive wildfires ravaging the region.
“Members of the FBI’s Ground Intercept task force are conducting activity in the area of the Palisades Fire relative to unauthorized drone activity. Agents and our local partners may be visible throughout the area, including at various residences, for this reason,” an FBI spokesperson was quoted as saying by the outlet.
But why Affleck’s home? Well, a source close to the investigation spilled to the outlet that the FBI was at the actor’s property searching for potential CCTV footage of a rogue private drone that reportedly damaged a super scooper aircraft. The firefighting plane had been battling the flames before the drone interfered, forcing authorities to crack down on such reckless activity.
When asked to comment on what went down when the authorities visited his house, Affleck’s rep declined to respond to Page Six. It’s not clear why officers chose the Accountant star’s home, in particular. Although, speaking of which, we heard he spent around $16 million more than the previous owners to purchase the mansion.
According to Robb Report, the estate was previously owned by David Calvert-Jones and his wife Karina, who paid roughly $4.5 million for the property in early 2010. Calvert-Jones is the nephew of billionaire Rupert Murdoch. Before the couple, Hollywood actress Maxine Cooper and her husband, producer and screenwriter Sy Gomberg, owned the house for about five decades.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Affleck has been caught up in the drama of the devastating Palisades Fire. Just last week, he was photographed fleeing his home to take refuge at the residence of his first ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, also located in Los Angeles. The Oscar winner was snapped driving his black SUV to Garner’s house with his arm casually hanging out the window. Garner, who shares custody of their three children — Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 12 — welcomed Affleck as his property remained under evacuation orders.
Affleck has since returned to his place since it did not suffer significant damage from the fire. Interestingly, the wildfire ordeal seems to have strengthened Affleck’s connections with both of his high-profile ex-wives. While Garner has been a pillar of support during the evacuation, Affleck has reportedly been in “regular contact” with his second ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, amid the crisis.
A source close to Lopez even said, “[J.Lo] has been checking in on Ben throughout this whole ordeal. [She’s] let him know she’s there for him and the kids.” Lopez still resides in the $68 million Beverly Hills property she bought with Affleck when they were still married. It can be noted that the former couple listed the property after J.Lo filed for divorce in August last year. Their divorce was finalized early this year. As per Realtor.com, since there are still no takers, Lopez continues to live in the mega-mansion with her 16-year-old twins, Max and Emme.