Most Expensive Divorce Ever?! Russian Oligarch Ordered to Pay Over $4.5 Billion to Ex-Wife

A Swiss court has ordered Dmitry Rybolovlev to pay ex-wife Elena the astronomical amount, which may result in the biggest divorce settlement in history

By Bruna Nessif May 20, 2014 10:23 PMTags
Dmitry Rybolovlev, Elena RybolovlevaREX USA/BEBERT BRUNO

Having a bad day? At least you're not this guy.

Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev's split from his wife, Elena, has cost him more than anyone could have anticipated. In fact, Rybolovlev's separation may be the most expensive divorce in history. Yes, like ever.

In papers delivered Monday to both parties, the Geneva Tribunal of First Instance said the 47-year-old billionaire, who owns French soccer club AS Monaco, must pay 4,020,555,987.80 Swiss francs ($4,509,375,184.80) to his ex-wife, also 47, of Geneva, NBC reports.

In case those were too many digits for you to keep track, that's over $4.5 billion.

Her lawyer Marc Bonnant called it "the most expensive divorce in history," an unheard-of amount for Switzerland and for Russian oligarchs.

Additionally, the Swiss court granted Elena property worth 130.5 million francs ($146 million) in property in Gstaad, Switzerland, where the couple owned two lavish chalets, and two other pieces of real estate in the swanky area of Geneva known as Cologny, where the couple once lived together.

However, Rybolovlev's lawyer said that the judgment's cash order was likely decrease in coming appeals. "There will definitely be a new appellate review and therefore this judgment is not final given the existence of two levels of appeal in Switzerland," said Tetiana Bersheda.

The couple met as university students in Perm, Russia, and married there in 1987. Divorce proceedings began in 2008, when Forbes estimated Rybolovlev's worth at $12.8 billion. His fortune is now estimated at $8.8 billion (pre-divorce settlement).

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