Eddie Murphy ex fleeced of $7m

A self-styled Los Angeles entertainment entrepreneur has been charged with conning a woman identified as the ex-wife of actor Eddie Murphy out of $7m.

The US Attorney’s Office in Sacramento, California, said 45-year-old Troy Stratos faced 14 charges of fraud, money laundering and obstructing justice.

He was arrested yesterday and made his first appearance in federal court.

Nicole Murphy is identified in court papers as “NM...the ex-wife of EM”, who filed for divorce in 2005. Three law enforcement sources identified her as Murphy’s ex-wife.

Records in a separate federal case show Nicole Murphy sued Stratos and others last year in Los Angeles and refiled the lawsuit in May in Florida.