Hollywood actress and model Jaime King has reportedly moved on with a new romantic partner, hotelier Vikram Chatwal, less than half a year after her previous engagement came to an end. The 46-year-old star and the 54-year-old Dream Hotel Group founder were seen looking notably close during an outing in West Hollywood last week.
A Budding Hollywood Romance
According to reports from Page Six, the pair were spotted "looking affectionate with one another" at the famed Chateau Marmont. Their connection appears to be developing quickly, as they were seen together again just days later enjoying a dinner date at Bombay Palace in Beverly Hills. This restaurant is part of a chain originally founded by Chatwal's father, Sant Chatwal.
This new relationship for King follows her confirmed engagement last July to Family Office investor Austin Sosa. That engagement occurred after a period where King was reportedly locked out of her Los Angeles home for failing to pay over $42,000 in back rent, leading her to stay with Sosa's parents.
Chatwal's Controversial Past and High-Profile Connections
Vikram Chatwal is a well-known figure in New York and international social circles, but his background includes significant controversy. A decade ago, he was convicted on charges including torturing and injuring animals, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief for "setting two dogs on fire." He was sentenced to five days of community service and has reportedly been to rehab three times.
His family history also carries legal baggage. In 2014, his father, Sant Chatwal, pleaded guilty to witness tampering and conspiracy related to making over $180,000 in illegal campaign donations through straw donors.
Chatwal, an Ethiopian-born, New York-raised businessman and gallery owner, has a history of friendships and romances with high-profile figures. His social circle has included Lindsay Lohan, models like Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Poppy Delevingne, and he has reportedly romanced Spanish model Esther Cañadas and TV host Padma Lakshmi. He was previously married to Indian model Priya Sachdev, with whom he shares an 18-year-old daughter, Safira. Their marriage ended in 2011 after a $20 million wedding ceremony.
King's Ongoing Personal and Legal Struggles
This new relationship unfolds against a backdrop of considerable personal difficulty for Jaime King. Last March, she lost primary physical custody of her two sons, James (12) and Leo (10), following a two-year, acrimonious divorce from ex-husband, music video director Kyle Newman.
The court's decision was influenced by King's failure to complete court-ordered programmes, including a six-month drug and alcohol programme with weekly testing, a 26-week parenting course, and counselling. She now has supervised visitation with her sons three times a week. King has publicly lamented the situation, stating on a podcast in April, "My duty as a mother is to protect my children. And that’s all that matters to me. This is scary."
Her financial challenges are also public. Newman has claimed she repeatedly failed to pay court-ordered child and spousal support, leaving him to support their sons alone. King also reportedly still owes $100,000 in legal fees from the divorce proceedings.
Despite these struggles, King continues to work. She recently began filming the faith-based crime thriller 'Redemption' in Las Vegas and has several other film projects in development. She also maintains a presence as a social media influencer with brand partnerships.
