A bidding war between reality-star Kim Kardashian and retired American football player Tom Brady broke out at a charity auction over a $2 million (£1.6 million) painting by George Condo. The high-stakes auction and celebrity blackjack tournament raised a total of $24 million (£19.8 million) for Reform Alliance, an organisation that advocates for criminal-justice reform in the US.

The top lot at the glamorous evening sale was Condo’s Standing Female Figure. In 2023, the artist created the vibrant piece using mixed media on paper. On the night, entrepreneur Kardashian opened the friendly bidding war for the artwork at $500,000 (£412,000). There was an exciting flurry of competing bids between Brady and Kardashian, until the former quarterback eventually won with an offer of $2 million (£1.6 million).

But Kardashian was not left empty handed for too long. Condo, who was attending the event, agreed on the spot to create a second matching work for Kardashian. The superstar donated another charitable gift to Reform Alliance for the new piece, equalling Brady’s winning bid of $2 million (£1.6 million).

Based in New York, Condo is renowned for his uniquely fragmented multi-media work. He also designed a series of artworks for the cover of Kardashian’s ex-husband Kanye West’s album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Condo’s auction sale record was set in 2020, when Force Field (2010) was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong for nearly $7 million (£5.7 million).

Comedian Kevin Hart emceed the star-studded fundraising gala, which was held at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City. It was organised by charity co-chairs Michael Rubin, Meek Mill, and founding partner Jay-Z.

A donated work by the artist Rashid Johnson, entitled Fireflies, also raked in a substantial amount at the charity auction. The entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk (also known as Gary Vee) won the lot for $1.1 million (£910,000). Other notable attendees who came to support the cause included the rapper Travis Scott, actor Matthew McConaughey, singer Jack Harlow, comedian Tiffany Haddish, and former athlete Alex Rodriguez.

Reform Alliance works to change laws, systems, and culture to create positive experiences for the nearly four million people on probation or parole in the US today.