Anguish after tycoon sent private jet that was too small to collect ex-wife's $400,000 shopping spree

Kimberly Moffat Jones handed over the luxury goods for safe keeping after the plane car dealership magnate Fletcher Jones Jr sent was unable to accommodate them.

Jones, 53, says staff offered to temporarily hold her items at the end of a four week stay at the $2,000-a-night California hotel in 2022.

A $4,500 Bruno Cucinelli cashmere sweater, a $400 Givenchy sweatshirt, $1,500 Chanel blanket and $600 Filson jacket were among the dozens of brand new items which Jones had amassed as part of a $400,000 spree.

The garments were itemized after being sent unworn to the dry cleaners by Jones straight after she bought them.

But when she returned to collect her property five days later, she was only handed back 17 items out of a list of 47, according to the lawsuit.

'The rest of the valuable clothing with an estimated replacement value of at least $150,000 were missing and remain missing, presumptively stolen or destroyed,' the lawsuit states.

Jones claims that the hotel then allowed the surveillance footage from around the time to be destroyed - even though she was upfront about pursuing legal action.

She has been told that the hotel can only be considered liable for up to $1,000 of her property, due to 'an old and not often applied California statue', the lawsuit states.

'Many of us, at one point or another, have entrusted our belongings to a hotel. My client, Kimberly Jones, learned through experience that placing such trust in a hotel is a matter of buyer beware,' Jones' attorney Majed Dakak told DailyMail.com.

'We believe most hotel guests in California aren’t aware that, due to a 150-year-old law, a hotel is not responsible for more than $1,000 in lost property, including this instance.

'Ms. Jones proceeds with this lawsuit in order to expose her experience at the Beverly Hills Hotel and hold it accountable.

'A hotel guest–whether they’re staying at the storied Beverly Hills Hotel or the hotel next door–should have an expectation of accountability. '

Jones is seeking damages and interest to be awarded at a trial by jury.

She has submitted documents which show the hotel began an investigation into the incident.

In a bid to circumvent the California statue which limits hotel liability, Jones' lawsuit says she sought to name the individuals who were working at the time her property disappeared.

However, she claims that the hotel's deletion of its surveillance footage has prevented this.

Jones claims she was told the clothing would be stored 'in a secure closet' to which only the manager had the key.

She made a report to the Beverly Hills Police Department which stated in a report that, '30 pieces of luxury goods were stolen'.

'I really had no concern at all about the safety of my clothing,' Jones said in her deposition.

'You know, the bellman seemed very nice and professional and the hotel had been wonderful up to this point.

'I just gave him the extra tip and he had an empty bell cart and he was on his way.'

Jones married auto tycoon Fletcher Jones, whose estimated net worth is around $625 million, in 1998. The couple shared three children and divorced in 2012.

She walked away with a hefty settlement deal following the acrimonious split, which sees her ex-husband pay her $3 million a year in spousal and child support, OC Weekly reports.

Jones had demanded $1.1 million a month during her divorce to keep her in the style to which she had become accustomed.

During their marriage, the couple lived in an opulent $27 million Newport Beach mansion, serviced by a full staff.

The 9,500 square foot home boasts two dock spaces.

Jones revealed how she and Fletcher had splurged $3 million on chandeliers and furniture, $675,000 drapes and $2 million worth of ornate stone work before Jones sold it.

During an appearance on CNBC show Listing Impossible, Jones said the house had become too large for her after her marriage ended.

She explained: 'With the divorce, it just didn't make any sense to hold on to an estate like this when my children prefer Santa Barbara.'

Jones was also seen clashing with Listing Impossible host Aaron Kirman after being told her décor was too dark, old-fashioned and heavy to appeal to many buyers.

Thanks to her marriage, she has access to her husband's 2003 Gulfstream GIV jet, which had two on-call pilots and a fleet of stewardesses on standby, as well as a yacht with two on-call captains.

More recently, she owned a $17.5 million Santa Barbara estate complete with tennis court and pool.

Jones said in her deposition that '99 percent' of the missing clothes were brand new and had been purchased for a 'very expensive vacation'.

'I was planning this very expensive vacation for myself because I hadn't had a vacation in years, and I was able to take this vacation because I had just sold my house in Santa Barbara and my husband was exercising his visitation' Jones said.

A spokesman for the Dorchester Collection which owns the Beverly Hills hotel said: 'In accordance with the hotel's commitment to the privacy and confidentiality of all guests, we maintain a strict policy of not commenting on any guest-related matters.'

By BETHAN SEXTON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM