Carsten Maschmeyer denies romance rumours after Beverly Hills photos
Photos show Carsten Maschmeyer holding hands with a model in Beverly Hills. Now the investor says the scene looked far more intimate than it really was.
A busy street, a young woman, a hand held for a few seconds. That was enough to set the German gossip world buzzing. Now Carsten Maschmeyer, the investor known from the TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (Germany's version of Dragons' Den), has responded.
What happened?
On Thursday, footage from a US blogger started circulating. It shows the 67-year-old walking hand in hand with a young model on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
It was obvious that Maschmeyer and the woman did not want to be filmed. The clips spread anyway, along with claims that she was his new girlfriend.
The woman was soon identified as 30-year-old Anouchka Lou, who models on Instagram, including for lingerie and swimwear brands.
What does Maschmeyer say?
He told the newspaper Bild that the moment was not as close as it looked. "I took her by the hand while we were crossing the street," he said.
He also made his status clear: "I'm still single, and I certainly wouldn't have taken a new girlfriend out on one of the most photographed streets in the world."
According to Bild, Lou is in a relationship with someone else. The paper also reports that the two went their separate ways shortly after the pictures were taken. Maschmeyer is still in California, while Lou, who was born in Slovenia, has reportedly left.
The publication of the footage is controversial. Maschmeyer lives much of his private life in the public eye, but the clips clearly show that neither he nor the model agreed to be filmed.
What happened before?
The timing is why the rumour travelled so fast. At the end of August, Maschmeyer and actress Veronica Ferres announced their separation after 17 years together and 12 years of marriage.
In a joint statement, they said their careers had often taken them to different parts of the world. "Over time, our love has turned into a deep, trusting friendship," they wrote, adding that they wanted to stay closely connected.
The couple had appeared together at public events for many years and often declared their love for each other on social media.
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Carsten Maschmeyer after split from Veronica Ferres · 2 updates
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