The millionaire founder of a cake company is accused of cutting down over 130 trees to build a mansion for himself, report says
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- The founder of a million-dollar cake company was accused of chopping down protected trees.
- Sukh Chamdal was reportedly planning to build a 9,000-square-foot mansion for himself in this space.
- He founded the egg-free cake company Cake Box which is now worth over $70 million.
The millionaire founder of a British cake company has been accused of chopping down at least 132 protected trees to build a mansion for himself, The Telegraph reported Monday.
Sukh Ram Chamdal, the founder and CEO of egg-free cake company Cake Box valued at almost £58.4 million ($74 million) appeared in court on June 22 to plead not guilty to the offense. He will be returning there later this month, according to The Telegraph.
Chamdal was reportedly building a new mansion in Loughton, close to Epping Forest, outside London. The work took place between March 1 and 18, 2021, according to Epping Forest District Council, which brought the case to court.
Documents viewed by The Telegraph showed plans to demolish an existing building and construct an almost 9,000 square feet property for the CEO.
If found guilty, Chamdal could face a fine of up to £20,000 ($25,000) for violating the UK's Tree Preservation Order, per the newspaper. If the case is passed to the Crown Court, he could be liable for an unlimited fine.
Insider contacted Chamdal via LinkedIn but did not immediately receive a response. A spokesperson for MHP, the communications company that represents Cake Box, declined to comment on the situation because its an ongoing legal procedure.
Chamdal was originally an Indian sweet chef for his family's business based in East London. He founded Cake Box in 2008 after he struggled to find an egg-free cake for his daughter's birthday. The company, which operates as a franchise, now has over 195 stores across the UK.
The company filed for an IPO in 2018. It raked in £34.8 million ($44 million) in sales in the year ending March 2023.