On Friday, she abandoned plans to seek a government bailout to furlough 30 members of staff at her fashion brand following a major backlash.
And now Victoria Beckham, 46, and her husband David, 45, risk fresh money fury as a report which alleges they took out a £10 MILLION bank loan to buy their £18 million Miami penthouse, has emerged.
The couple – who are worth £335million – are said to have used their firm, Beckham Brand Limited to take out the loan last year as part of David’s Inter Miami FC project, which they are reportedly paying back over 10 years at a fixed rate of 2.5 per cent.
Oh dear! Victoria Beckham, 46, and her husband David, 45, risk fresh money fury as a report alleging they took out a £10 MILLION bank loan to buy their Miami penthouse, has emerged
According to The Sun on Sunday, The Beckhams took out a £10 million bank loan to buy a the luxury property in Miami, America last year, despite having the finances to purchase the £18 million property outright.
After initially questioning the need for the super-wealthy couple to require a loan, a source added: ‘If they hadn’t borrowed cash to buy yet another pad, perhaps they wouldn’t have had to furlough staff in the first place.
‘If Victoria could borrow £10million to buy a Miami bolthole, there are probably a few people thinking she could have borrowed money in the first place to pay her staff, rather than try and rely on the taxpayer.’
10 year plan: The couple are said to have used their firm, Beckham Brand Limited to take out the loan last year, which they are reportedly paying back over 10 years
Yikes! a source told The Sun on Sunday: ‘If they hadn’t borrowed cash to buy yet another pad, perhaps they wouldn’t have had to furlough staff in the first place’
‘While they actually applied for this loan towards the end of last year, the timing of its publication could hardly have been worse.’
MailOnline has contacted Victoria and David Beckham’s representatives for comment.
The couple and three of their four children are currently hauled up at their Cotswolds countryside retreat amid the coronavirus lockdown after relocating from their luxury London home.
Second home: Victoria is currently hauled up with husband David and three of their four children at their Cotswolds countryside retreat after relocating from their luxury London home
The former Spice Girl, whose family is worth £335million, had planned to use the Government’s Covid-19 scheme to pay 80 per cent of the wages of some of her staff.
The fashion brand, which employs 120 people, sent letters to 30 members of staff warning them that they were going to be furloughed under the Government’s scheme for two months.
She told The Guardian: ‘We will not now be drawing on the government furlough scheme.
U-turn: Victoria, who recently posted this Instagram picture of her ‘working from home’ set-up, has reversed a decision to seek a taxpayer bailout for her fashion firm by furloughing 30 staff
‘At the beginning of the lockdown the shareholders agreed with senior management to furlough a small proportion of staff.
‘At that point we didn’t know how long the lockdown might last or its likely impact on the business. The welfare of my team and our business means everything to me.’
It is understood the firm’s application would have cost taxpayers £150,000.
The firm denied the U-turn was a result of the public backlash and instead insisted the board ‘now believe that with the support of our shareholders, we can navigate through this crisis without drawing from the furlough scheme’.
Previous plans: The former Spice Girl had planned to use the Government’s Covid-19 scheme to pay 80 per cent of the wages of some of her staff (pictured in London, February 2020)
In a statement, the company said: ‘Victoria Beckham Ltd has been working hard to protect its people and, while adjusting to the impact of COVID-19 and the government lockdown, our decision to furlough a small number of our staff seemed the most appropriate option in keeping with many other businesses.
‘The situation is dynamic, and, with the support of our shareholders, we now believe we can navigate through this crisis without drawing from the government furlough scheme.
‘Our application was made in the best interests of trying to protect our staff, and that is still our absolute focus. We are doing everything we can to ensure we can achieve that without using government assistance.’
Other celebrities including Jamie Oliver and Dragons Den star Peter Jones have also sought taxpayer assistance for their staff.
Turning to the taxpayer: Jamie Oliver, pictured, has sought taxpayer assistance to pay 80 per cent of the wages of 20 employees
Oliver has furloughed 20 people, including chefs at his Jamie Oliver Cookery School.
And Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones, worth £490million, reportedly furloughed 400 Jessops workers.
Sir Richard Branson and Sir Philip Green have also faced the wrath of the public for relying on government funds to pay their staff.
However, singer Ed Sheeran is one celebrity who ruled out seeking a taxpayer bailout for the ten staff he employs at his Notting Hill pub Bertie Blossoms.
The singer, who is worth £170 million, will pay the wages of his staff while the bar is forced to close due to the government’s Covid-19 lockdown.