In the absolute icône of 1960s cinema, Ursula Andress has long fascinated audiences with both her beauty and iconic roles. Revealed to the public in “James Bond 007 against Dr No” alongside Sean Connery, she established herself as the very first “James Bond girl,” notably thanks to her legendary appearance in a white bikini. This image became legendary, earning her a Golden Globe and the status of a global sex-symbol.
But behind this shining trajectory, the life of the 90-year-old Swiss-American actress is now experiencing an unexpected legal turn. In January, she filed a criminal complaint in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, against her former wealth manager, Éric Freymond. This manager, deceased in 2025 in Gstaad, is suspected of mishandling and investing nearly 18 million Swiss francs without her knowledge, around 19 million euros. These funds were allegedly invested in real estate in Tuscany, according to Swiss media reports.
Ursula Andress is stripped of assets, with suspicions of money laundering arising from investigations by the Florence public prosecutor and the Italian financial police. Assets totaling over 18 million Swiss francs have been seized, some believed to be linked to possible money laundering. Authorities have identified eleven real estate properties and fourteen plots near Florence, including vineyards and olive groves. In addition, art pieces and other acquisitions funded by these diverted funds have come to light.
So far, no suspect has been arrested, but all the assets in question have been seized by court order. Éric Freymond was already involved in another sensitive case with Nicolas Puech, heir to the luxury group Hermès. While no suspects have been apprehended yet, all the assets in question have been seized by a judicial decision. This legal saga contrasts with the eternal image left by Ursula Andress, once a cinema muse and Jean-Paul Belmondo’s companion between 1966 and 1972, after they met on the set of the film “Up to His Ears.”
Their otherwise glamorous image was also marked by tensions. In a 2016 interview on Europe 1, Jean-Paul Belmondo candidly spoke about their dramatic breakup, depicting a spectacular scene involving a ladder, a window, and a lead ball thrown at him by Ursula Andress. This episode was truly worthy of a film.
