Paris store sues Saudi princess over unpaid bills

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PARIS (AFP) — A luxury clothes store is suing a Saudi princess in the Paris courts for 89,000 euros (126,000 dollars) in unpaid bills, the shop's lawyer said Thursday.

At least one other store told AFP it was also waiting for payment of 70,000 euros, and according to media reports, the princess owes several million euros to a string of upmarket stores around the French capital.

Maha al-Sudairi, wife of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, had not paid the bill, which dated back more than a year, said Jacky Benazerah, the lawyer for Key Largo.

And at least one other store, a Paris jeweller, was also going to court, he added.

Although the store had started civil proceedings in the Paris courts to seize assets, but Sudairi could still claim diplomatic immunity thanks to her husband's ministerial status, said Benazerah.

The Paris court where the case has been filed refused to comment on the case. AFP could not reach Sudairi for comment Thursday evening.

Several media reports said the princess, who is based at the luxury George V hotel, owned by her nephew Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, had refused to pay bills due to several upmarket Paris stores, some due for more than a year.

The sums due amounted to several million euros, said reports.

Management at the George V refused to confirm whether or not she was there.

Jacky Giami, who runs the Key Largo, in Paris' posh 16th arrondissement, told AFP that the princess' daughter and her entourage came by the shop at the beginning of May and and chose a substantial amount of goods.

Jamila Boushaba, manager of a luxury lingerie shop "Aux caprices de Lily", told AFP the princess had run up a slate of 70,000 euros.

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