The eastern suburbs glitterati are in turmoil after popular society couple Nicholas and Litsa Stavropoulos ended their marriage – and the rumour mill won’t stop spinning.
The Stavropouloses were at the centre of a tight-knit group of high-flying couples. After they broke up, Nicholas began dating Litsa’s former best friend, Pembe Bekir.
The fallout was described by one insider as ‘seismic’, with friendships shattered and Litsa said to be blindsided by it all.
Now, in a fresh twist, Pembe’s ex-husband Deniz Bekir has entered the fray with a surprise romance of his own: he is dating beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan.
Linda is well-known in Sydney for her legal battle with Richard White, the billionaire tech mogul who she claimed had promised her a $13.1million Vaucluse mansion only to take back the keys when his wife, Zena Nasser, discovered their relationship.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail’s new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
The eastern suburbs glitterati are in turmoil after popular society couple Nicholas and Litsa Stavropoulos (pictured together) ended their marriage
The pair quietly ended their marriage – and rumours are swirling that Nicholas has now turned to his wife’s former best friend, Pembe Bekir, for support. (Pembe is pictured with Litsa)
The fascination with the Stavropouloses dates back to early 2020 when Excite Holidays, Nicholas’s travel wholesaler business, collapsed owing more than $35million to creditors.
KPMG told suppliers that any return to unsecured creditors was ‘extremely unlikely’.
Staff had been told to switch off their phones over Christmas so they didn’t have to take calls from angry agents, while bookings continued to be taken right up until January 8, 2020, even though hotels and airlines were not being paid.
Excite’s directors, Stavropoulos and George Papaioannou, expressed ‘deep regret’ for what happened. Yet, less than three years later, Nicholas’s personal spending was making headlines.
In August 2023, The Daily Telegraph revealed he had thrown an extravagant masked ball for wife Litsa’s 50th birthday at the State Library of New South Wales.
The black-tie soirée was said to have cost in excess of $100,000. Notable guests included Real Housewives of Sydney star Victoria Montano.
That same European summer, Litsa shared images of herself and Nicholas cruising the Greek islands aboard a superyacht, sipping champagne in Dior.
Those in the couple’s social circle were said to be surprised by their conspicuous display of wealth in the aftermath of the Excite Holidays collapse.
Former friends Deniz Bekir and Nick Stavropoulos are seen hugging
Pembe Bekir (left) and her one-time best friend, bridalwear designer Lillian Khallouf (right), are said to be no longer on speaking terms after Pembe offered Nicholas a shoulder to cry on
Fast forward to February 2025, and the Stavropouloses’ marriage had ended.
Following his separation, rumours swirled that Nicholas had turned to Pembe for emotional support. The move raised eyebrows: Pembe was once a good pal of Litsa’s, and Nicholas had been friends with Pembe’s ex-husband Deniz for 40 years.
‘Pembe and Deniz, and Nic and Litsa, were the best of friends. They went on holiday together, they socialised together – they were inseparable,’ a friend told me.
‘To see this happen [after their respective splits] has surprised everyone.’
Perhaps in response to the scrutiny, Pembe, who once worked with P.E Nation and Stylerunner, has since made her Instagram account private.
Litsa, meanwhile, has been posting cryptic memes hinting at feeling betrayed by her ex’s new relationship.
‘When people show you who they are, believe them,’ one such meme read.
Friends say the once tight-knit circle has been split down the middle, with many rallying around Litsa, who is a popular figure in the eastern suburbs.
‘Nic and Pembe are now openly dating,’ a well-placed source confirmed.
‘They spent eight weeks together in Greece and Spain this June and July. They’re flaunting it, but there has been a social cost for sure.’
One casualty of the romance is the friendship between Pembe and couture bridalwear designer Lillian Khallouf. As previously reported by Daily Mail’s Lucy Manly, they were once ‘thick as thieves’ but now don’t speak.
Just months later, Deniz himself has become part of the drama by dating Linda Rogan
In August, near-identical holiday photos on Instagram exposed his romance with Rogan, 53
Mum-of-three Linda Rogan jetted back into Sydney on Thursday
The beauty entrepreneur carried a Christian Dior handbag
Rogan is quite the personality in the east, best known for her legal dispute with WiseTech founder Richard White over a $92,000 furniture bill
As Nic and Pembe’s bond grows ever closer, Deniz has also entered the gossip mill with a rebound romance that’s proving just as headline-worthy.
In August, Instagram holiday snaps revealed his budding romance with 53-year-old Linda, who owns laser clinics in Double Bay, Cairns and New Zealand.
The pair were snapped in the same spot at Ibiza’s exclusive Destino Pacha resort, both holding glasses of red wine as the sun set.
Their matching posts confirmed whispers they were an item.
At the centre of the matter was this $13.1million mansion in Vaucluse, which Rogan claimed White had bought for her to live in with her children
Rogan claimed White (left) took back the keys after his wife Zena Nasser (right) discovered they were in a relationship, leaving her out of pocket for the furniture she had already bought
Mum-of-three Rogan is quite the personality in the east, best known for her legal dispute with WiseTech founder Richard White over a $92,000 luxury furniture bill.
At the centre of the Federal Court proceedings was a $13.1million mansion in Vaucluse, which Rogan – who alleged White had offered to invest in her business in exchange for sex – claimed White had bought for her to live in with her children.
Rogan, who never moved into the house, claimed White took back the keys after his wife Zena Nasser discovered they were in a romantic relationship, leaving her out of pocket for the furniture she had already bought.
The matter with Rogan was settled, with a spokesman saying: ‘Mr White has settled to avoid any distraction from his primary focus which is on implementing WiseTech’s growth strategy and continuing to create value for its shareholders and customers.’
