- Daniel Drakopoulos is a billionaire heir to the restaurant industry
- Man accused of strangling his fiancée and stealing her $40 engagement ring
- Empire includes Manta, Elton John’s favorite
The son of a billionaire restaurant magnate has been charged with strangling and assaulting his fiancée and stealing her $40,000 engagement ring.
Daniel Jackson Drakopoulos, 28, is accused of breaking into his partner’s home at night and allegedly throwing her mobile phone against a wall, strangling her and seriously assaulting her before removing her ring.
The 28-year-old former private school pupil was arrested the morning after the alleged attack and charged at Manly police station, a short distance from one of his father’s famous restaurants.
Daniel is the son of renowned restaurateur Bill Drakopoulos, who owns a number of luxury establishments in Sydney’s most elite coastal suburbs.
The empire, which has seen him dubbed the “King of the Coast”, includes Manta at Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, a favourite of celebrities including Elton John and Jon Bon Jovi.
He also owns Sails at Lavender Bay Harbour on Sydney’s North Shore, Ormeggio at The Spit in Mosman, Ventuno at Walsh Bay and Ripples at four locations around the city.
Daniel and his three brothers, who work as directors of their father’s Sydney Restaurant Group, live an idyllic life jetting around the world on luxury getaways to places like the Maldives, Ibiza, Tokyo and Greece.
Police say Daniel went to his then-partner’s Paddington address on February 4 and broke into her terraced house.
Daniel Drakopoulos (left), pictured with his father Bill (centre) and brother Perry (right), has been accused of strangling his fiancée and stealing her $40,000 engagement ring.
Pictured is one of Bill Drakopoulos’ venues, Aqua, located on Sydney Harbour.
Daniel (left) and members of the Drakopoulos family, whose father Bill (third from left) is known as the “king of the coast” in the restaurant industry for his 15 luxury restaurants.
He then allegedly destroyed or damaged her phone by throwing it against a wall, strangled her and assaulted her twice, “causing physical harm.”
According to court documents, Daniel allegedly stole the young woman’s engagement ring, valued at $40,000.
He was charged and released on bail to live in his parents’ spectacular $10 million trophy home in Seaforth on the northern beaches, which boasts panoramic views.
Bill Drakopoulos and his wife Kathleen appear in the photo
Police allege Daniel broke into his fiancée’s home in Paddington (above), strangled and assaulted her, smashed her phone and stole her $40,000 engagement ring.
Daniel Drakopoulos (right) and his brother and father traditionally pose in their swimming trunks every Christmas.
A graduate of Riverview’s exclusive St Ignatius College, Daniel has recently developed new ventures to expand his father’s successful business beyond his exclusive Sydney restaurants.
Together with his younger brother, Daniel is “growing Drak Hotels, another part of Sydney Restaurant Group”, which includes the Coast Hotel in Budgewoi on the NSW Central Coast.
Daniel Drakopoulos has been charged with six offences including wilful strangulation of a person without consent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, aggravated burglary, destruction or damage to property and theft.
His case is before the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court.
