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| Russian billionaire's ex-wife seeks record UK divorce payout | Russian billionaire's ex-wife seeks record UK divorce payout |
| (11 days later) | |
| A Russian billionaire who was ordered to pay £453m to his former wife in what is believed to be Britain’s biggest divorce case was named at the high court on Wednesday as Farkhad Akhmedov. | A Russian billionaire who was ordered to pay £453m to his former wife in what is believed to be Britain’s biggest divorce case was named at the high court on Wednesday as Farkhad Akhmedov. |
| However, the court in London heard his ex-wife Tatiana Akhmedova had not received “a penny from him”. | However, the court in London heard his ex-wife Tatiana Akhmedova had not received “a penny from him”. |
| An order had prevented the couple’s identification after Akhmedova requested anonymity because of fears for her safety. However details of the settlement – and the couple’s lavish lifestyle — were revealed in the court of appeal on Wednesday. | An order had prevented the couple’s identification after Akhmedova requested anonymity because of fears for her safety. However details of the settlement – and the couple’s lavish lifestyle — were revealed in the court of appeal on Wednesday. |
| Akhmedov, 62, who featured this week on the US “Putin list” of officials and oligarchs close to the Kremlin, was ordered to give his 41-year-old ex-wife 41.5% of his “staggering” wealth by a high court judge in 2016. | Akhmedov, 62, who featured this week on the US “Putin list” of officials and oligarchs close to the Kremlin, was ordered to give his 41-year-old ex-wife 41.5% of his “staggering” wealth by a high court judge in 2016. |
| The gas and oil tycoon who is close friends with Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea football club, married Akhmedova more than 20 years ago. | The gas and oil tycoon who is close friends with Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea football club, married Akhmedova more than 20 years ago. |
| The couple, who have two sons, moved to London in 1993 and Akhmedova raised the children without the help of a nanny, the court was told. | The couple, who have two sons, moved to London in 1993 and Akhmedova raised the children without the help of a nanny, the court was told. |
| They lived in a £39m mansion in Surrey and had a £27.8m holiday home. | They lived in a £39m mansion in Surrey and had a £27.8m holiday home. |
| Akhmedov is appealing against the divorce settlement. His lawyers claimed the judgment, by Mr Justice Haddon Cave, showed “manifestly unjust” favouritism towards her by the British courts. | Akhmedov is appealing against the divorce settlement. His lawyers claimed the judgment, by Mr Justice Haddon Cave, showed “manifestly unjust” favouritism towards her by the British courts. |
| She had argued she was due almost half of their £1bn fortune due to her “equal contributions to the welfare of the family” during their marriage. | She had argued she was due almost half of their £1bn fortune due to her “equal contributions to the welfare of the family” during their marriage. |
| Akhmedova says she has received almost nothing despite the court’s order. | Akhmedova says she has received almost nothing despite the court’s order. |
| Hodge Malek QC, for Akhmedova, told the Court of Appeal she was just 17 when she met her ex-husband, and 21 and pregnant when they married in 1993 and moved to England. | Hodge Malek QC, for Akhmedova, told the Court of Appeal she was just 17 when she met her ex-husband, and 21 and pregnant when they married in 1993 and moved to England. |
| “The husband has not paid a penny. Despite being awarded in aggregate £453,576,152 before interest and costs [she] has to date received nothing from [him] save for some de minimis assets in the UK.” | “The husband has not paid a penny. Despite being awarded in aggregate £453,576,152 before interest and costs [she] has to date received nothing from [him] save for some de minimis assets in the UK.” |
| ”The marriage broke down in 2013 and finally ended in 2014,” he said. Since then he alleged her husband “embarked on a deliberate campaign of trying to defeat the wife’s claims by any means possible – save on the merits”. | ”The marriage broke down in 2013 and finally ended in 2014,” he said. Since then he alleged her husband “embarked on a deliberate campaign of trying to defeat the wife’s claims by any means possible – save on the merits”. |
| Malek claimed the husband had shifted almost all of his wealth offshore from the UK to “stop his wife getting it”. | Malek claimed the husband had shifted almost all of his wealth offshore from the UK to “stop his wife getting it”. |
| The previous highest divorce payout was made public in 2014 when Jamie Cooper-Hohn, estranged wife of financier Sir Chris Hohn, was awarded £337m. Last year Khoo Kay Peng, the boss of Laura Ashley, was ordered to pay his ex-wife, Pauline Chai, £64 million. Such awards have given London the reputation of being “the divorce capital of the world”. | The previous highest divorce payout was made public in 2014 when Jamie Cooper-Hohn, estranged wife of financier Sir Chris Hohn, was awarded £337m. Last year Khoo Kay Peng, the boss of Laura Ashley, was ordered to pay his ex-wife, Pauline Chai, £64 million. Such awards have given London the reputation of being “the divorce capital of the world”. |
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