Millionaire Pooch Selling Miami Villa



Gunther the German Shepherd spent a recent morning playing with his tennis ball, rolling in the grass, slobbering a little and napping a lot. Later, he had a “meeting” with the real estate agents selling his Miami mansion. As crazy as it sounds, Gunther VI inherited his vast fortune, including the 8-bedroom waterfront home, from his late owner, German countess Karlotta Liebenstein, when she died in 1992. Carla Riccitelli is one of Gunther's main caretakers and is on a board that manages the trust — now worth almost $500 million — deciding when to buy and sell real estate. The group has even purchased sports teams, including a men's soccer team and women's swimming team and, yes, Gunther played on the field and attended the meets. Riccitelli, a 52-year-old animal lover who resides in Tuscany, met the group taking care of Gunther nearly 30 years ago. She instantly connected with the dog and the mission of the trust and joined the team. She also helped form Gunther Rescue a few years ago to care for other animals. Now, she and the board have decided it’s time for the villa to go. The Tuscan-style villa with views of Biscayne Bay is on the market for $31 million — a whopping markup from the purchase two decades ago for $7.5 million.