Derwood Hodgegrass Guru Don Julio Luiz Pedena Spends Big

Since coming to live at the Southampton estate of billionaire Derwood Hodgegrass and advise the wealthy eccentric in his recent spiritual pursuits earlier this month, sources say Luiz Pedena has spent nearly $250,000 of his employer’s money on stylish designer garments, fine art and lavish dinners with reputed high class escorts in the villages of East Hampton and Southampton. At the same time, the shaman has advised Hodgegrass to disavow material things and “frivolous pursuits,” such as the billionaire’s summer goal to build a 150-yard swimming pool on a parcel of farmland adjacent to his property.

Hodgegrass went to meet Luiz Pedena (who names major Hollywood players and talent among his clients) in the Peruvian Amazon after July Fourth, and friends say he has not been his usual, showy and hedonistic self since returning to Southampton. Two weeks ago, the billionaire, who has taken to wearing togas and simple robes, revealed a “prayer temple” on his estate, explaining, “I have been to the spirit realm and its denizens have made my mission clear—it is time to bring deeper meaning to this vapid Hamptons hell.”

Luiz Pedena, on the other hand, is driving Hodgegrass’ orange Lamborghini Gallardo while wearing a tailored Alexander Price suit and a gold and diamond encrusted Rolex timepiece. It seems the Hamptons has gotten to the shaman and spiritual advisor, “Unless this was his plan all along,” one friend of Hodgegrass suggests.

Calls to Hodgegrass have not been returned as he is no longer using a cell phone, but several sources confirm that an intervention is in the works.

“More than 50 of us are gathering at Hodgegrass Mansion to deal with this after Labor Day,” the billionaire’s pal Howard Sneed said on Saturday. “Let’s hope Derwood is able to see what’s happening,” Sneed added. “We want the guy who hires strippers to swim as mermaids in his 50,000-gallon aquarium tank. We want the guy who paid Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay and Mario Batali to make the world’s biggest Reuben sandwich because they were in town and he was bored on a Saturday. We want the old Derwood back.”

Luiz Pedena did not return calls this weekend, though Hodgegrass Mansion staffers confirm the ayahuasquero has taken to using their employer’s $300,000 Sony Ericsson Black Diamond mobile phone.