Disgraced BHS entrepreneur, 52, is dumped by his 37-year-old wife 

The disgraced entrepreneur who ran BHS into the ground after buying it from Sir Philip Green for £1 has been humiliatingly dumped by his wife, MailOnline can reveal.

Dominic Chappell, 52, is living in a hotel after his 37-year-old wife, Rebecca Chappell, threw him out of their Grade I listed Tudor manor house in Dorset.

Mrs Chappell is understood to be filing for divorce, though due to the complexity of her husband’s finances it is unclear how much money will be at stake. 

Dominic Chappell, right, is being divorced by his wife Rebecca Chappell, left

Mr Chappell has been thrown out of his Grade I listed Tudor manor house in Dorset, pictured

Mr Chappell has been thrown out of his Grade I listed Tudor manor house in Dorset, pictured

Mr Chappell arrives at Southwark Crown Court in 2019

Rebecca Chappell

Mr Chappell, left, and Mrs Chappell, right, have experienced marital problems amid the financial stress

Billionaire Sir Philip Green, pictured, sold BHS to Dominic Chappell for just £1

Billionaire Sir Philip Green, pictured, sold BHS to Dominic Chappell for just £1

The father-of-two is ‘cut up’ about the split, friends said, blaming the marital discord on the stress produced by his numerous financial woes.

‘This is the last straw for Dominic,’ a friend said. ‘The last few years have been endless stress for him. Everything he’s touched has fallen apart.

‘His days of fast cars and yachts have slipped away from him. Now he’s lost his last source of strength.’

In January, the former bankrupt was ordered to pay £9.5million into BHS pension schemes after an unsuccessful appeal.

Mr Chappell, who was declared bankrupt three times and has no retail experience, bought BHS from billionaire Sir Philip Green for just £1 in March 2015.

The company’s woes did not prevent him from living as if he were a tycoon, with trappings that included a £200,000 racing yacht and a £1 million speedboat. 

The former racing driver drew a £510,000 salary and hired a helicopter that he claimed to have flown himself to conduct visits to the down-at-heel stores. 

After Mr Chappell drained millions out of the company, it crashed in April 2016 with the loss of 11,000 jobs, leaving a pensions black hole of more than £500million.

Mr Chappell, second right, and Mrs Chappell, far right, pose with their children and Mr Chappell's parents Alex and Joe, who was also banned from being a company director

Mr Chappell, second right, and Mrs Chappell, far right, pose with their children and Mr Chappell’s parents Alex and Joe, who was also banned from being a company director 

The extravagant manor house and grounds in Dorset owned by the Chappell family

The extravagant manor house and grounds in Dorset owned by the Chappell family

Mrs Chappell poses with her two children in 2014, before her husband bought BHS

Mrs Chappell poses with her two children in 2014, before her husband bought BHS

Rebecca Chappell

Rebecca Chappell

Rebecca Chappell appears to have finally lost her patience with the serial bankrupt

The Pensions Regulator immediately moved to protect the pensions of 19,000 members, securing a £363m cash settlement with billionaire Mr Green in order to rescue the scheme.

However, Mr Chappell was accused of failing to hand over vital documents to the Regulator on three occasions as they sought to stabilise the pension fund. 

In 2018, he was charged with three counts of neglecting or refusing to provide documents, contrary to the Pensions Act 2004.

During the court hearing, Mr Chappell claimed he was being made a ‘scapegoat’ for the failure of the high street giant and said he wished he had never bought it. 

He was found guilty and ordered to pay more than £87,000, including a £50,000 fine.

He was then issued two contribution notices ordering him to pay £9,542,985 to the Pensions Regulator. His appeal against the ruling was dismissed in January.   

The regulator will now look to recover the money from Mr Chappell for two pension schemes, four years after the retailer hit the wall. 

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