The Romanian toyboy who inherited his 81-year-old British husband’s cash when he died insists ‘I’m no gold digger’ after relatives branded him a ‘leech’.
Philip Clements, a retired Church of England vicar, passed away overnight on May 31 in a Bucharest hospital room that was closed to visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Widow Florin Marin – who is 54 years younger than his husband – will get £150,000 from a life insurance policy, a £100,000 house that was put into his name before Mr Clements died, and a £2,000-a-month-for-life pension.
Mr Clements’ older brother, 71-year-old Anthony, was left with just two ‘favourite family photographs’.
Detailing exactly what he received in the will, Mr Marin said he will get £150,000 from a life insurance policy, a £100,000 apartment in Bucharest that was put into his name, and a £2,000-for-life British pension – unless he remarries
In contrast to the £150,000 Widow Florin Marin will get from a life insurance policy, a £100,000 house that was put into his name before Mr Clements died, and a £2,000-a-month-for-life pension – Phillip’s brother Anthony has been given two family favourite photographs (pictured)
Another brother, 76-year-old Brian, branded Mr Marin a ‘leech’ who ‘got what he always wanted’.
But Mr Marin has hit back at his late husband’s family, insisting: ‘I’m not a gold digger. Who doesn’t like money?
‘We can’t live in this world if we don’t have money, but doesn’t mean you are a gold digger.
‘It doesn’t mean if you marry an older guy you are a gold digger. I was in love with Philip’, he told The Sun.
Mr Marin acknowledged, however: ‘We had problems in the past but everyone has that. I will have a space in my heart for ever.’
The furious relatives of Mr Clements say otherwise.
A favourite family photo Of Anthony Clements (71), brother Of Deceased Former Vicar Philip Clements, pictured with his brothers on their mother’s 90th birthday, Dover, Kent
Brother Anthony said: ‘I told my brother this many times. Florin is nothing but a gold digger who set out to rob my brother from the moment they met. And now he has got what he wanted.
‘The man is a disgrace. I made my feelings clear to Anthony many times. What has happened speaks for itself. Florin has cashed in and has done very well out of my brother.’
Philip Clements and Florin Marin on their wedding day in Kent three years ago. After a rift the pair are living reconciled earlier this year in Bucharest, but Mr Clements has now passed away following a period of ill health
Mr Clements (right) sold his home in Kent for £214,750 before moving to Romania and buying a flat in Bucharest. He returned to England shortly after because the pair experienced turbulence in their relationship, but Mr Clements says they have now reached an understanding and are living together again
The retired postman added: ‘The whole family feels the same way. I’ve spoken to my other brother Brian about it too and he’s not happy either about the way Florin has taken advantage of Phillip.
‘We were supposed to inherit Philip’s estate but now it’s all gone to Florin. But it’s not about the money because I would rather have my brother alive. What angers us is the way he’s been treated by his husband.’
He claims the pair were ‘always fighting and breaking up. On one occasion about four years ago I went to console Philip because he was in bits. I supported him through it, but I also told him that Florin was no good for him.’
Pictured: Anthony Clements, brother of Phillip, who passed away alone on May 31 in a Bucharest hospital room that was closed to visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He described his his late brother as ‘ a very intelligent man but not very street wise and it was easy to pull the wool over his eyes and take advantage of him. I could see what was going on but sadly, he couldn’t.’
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline after Mr Clements’ death, Mr Marin said: ‘People will think that I am a widow with a black hat who is crying, and I did cry, but two days is enough.
‘Philip didn’t want me to cry, he wanted people to be happy whatever happened.
‘I don’t want to show people my feelings because my husband died, because some people take advantage of that and there are people who are happy because of your sadness,’ he added.
‘I am 27 years old and I’m not challenged.’
Mr Clements fell ill during the coronavirus lockdown after running low on medication and initially refused to go to hospital (pictured left at home not long before he died) but was eventually taken there by Florin (pictured on the ward right) where he was put in isolation before passing away
Mr Florin (left) said he cried ‘for two days’ at the death of Mr Clements (right) but ‘that is enough’ and he is now determined to get on with his life and enjoy the inheritance he has been given
Mr Marin will enjoy a £2,000 British widower pension for the rest of life unless he remarries.
‘He was my husband and this is my right,’ he said.
Mr Marin will also get £10,000 from a life insurance policy to organise a funeral, but said it will be a simple ceremony with no wake or party – and that Mr Clements’ ashes will be spread in a park in accordance with his will.
In addition, Mr Marin will get around £150,000 from Mr Clements’ life insurance policy.
Two years ago Mr Marin appeared with Philip on the Jeremy Kyle Show, when he was asked about his intentions and what he thought about perceptions he was only with the former vicar for his money.
Mr Marin replied: ‘I love this nickname of gold-digger, people are so interested in me that’s why they have given me a nickname.’
Mr Marin (right) said that Mr Clements (left) became sick with a fever last month after he ran out of medication during the coronavirus lockdown, before being taken to hospital. He tested negative for COVID, but died overnight on May 31
Mr Clements died after becoming unwell during the coronavirus lockdown.
He was unable to visit his GP in the UK and was left running low on medication.
Mr Marin insists that Mr Clements refused to go to hospital for several days – developing a fever and becoming disoriented – before he insisted on taking the elderly man himself.
Once in hospital, Florin said he was separated from his husband as he was placed on a quarantined coroanvirus ward amid fears he had the disease.
Tests came back negative and Mr Clements was transferred instead to a cardiac ward, but slipped into a coma and was placed on life support.
Florin said he then received a call around midnight on May 31 from the hospital confirming that his husband had passed away.
‘My darling people, it is not my fault that left me with this money,’ the 27-year-old said.
He added the the amount was ‘not that huge, it’s not like saying, wow, it’s one or two million pounds.’
Mr Marin says he will ‘always remember Philip’ but hasn’t ruled out future relationships.
The couple met on the online dating site Gaydar and got married three years ago in Kent – but their relationship hadn’t been plain sailing.
They experienced turbulence early on when Mr Clements tried living in Bucharest.
Rows over Mr Marin’s clubbing into the early hours and an alleged affair with a Spaniard named Jesús saw the former vicar move back to England after just a few months, despite having sold his home to live in the Romanian capital.
Mr Clements (left and right) lived and worked as a clergyman before meeting Mr Marin on dating site Gaydar four years ago, when he decided to leave his former life behind and move to Bucharest so they could be together
Mr Clements (left at a gay pride parade and right at home) briefly split from Florin after disapproving of his late-night visits to clubs and a rumoured affair with a man named Jesus, but the pair eventually reconciled
They were able to keep their romance alive with Whatsapp messaging, however, while Mr Marin moved to work in Spain.
The couple reconciled in March this year after the ex-vicar said he was happy for Mr Marin to visit gay clubs at the weekends with people his own age.
Mr Clements requested a private funeral attended only by his widower and a handful of relatives and friends as well as a simple religious ceremony held in his memory.
Mr Marin said he will find an Anglican priest to conduct the ceremony as opposed to an Orthodox priest from the socially conservative and anti-gay marriage Romanian Church.
He said he kept provided regular updates to Mr Clements’ UK family and friends on his husband’s ailing health.
Although Mr Marin has been rejected by the brothers, he said he is ready to ‘forgive what happened in the past’ for the sake of his husband.