Russian millionaire’s ex says she has been forced to live ‘frugally’ while hubby has enjoyed holiday homes, yacht and helicopter
AN oligarch’s son who bought himself a helicopter and partied on his family’s yacht to celebrate separating from his wife is fighting to get her “over-generous” £7million payout cut.
In the pair’s divorce settlement, agreed in Russia in 2014, Boris Zimin, 47, was ordered to pay ex-wife Mrs Zimina £6million.
She was also awarded a £1.15million top-up payout in the High Court after asking the court to reassess her “reasonable needs”.
Mrs Zimina enjoyed a decadent lifestyle while married to Mr Zimin thanks to her ex-husband’s telecommunications mogul dad Dimitri’s fortune.
She currently lives in a £5million six-bedroom property in Kensington with the pair’s three teenage kids, but says she has had to readjust to a more “modest” standard of living since splitting from her husband.
The 45-year-old claims her husband has, meanwhile, continued to enjoy the high life thanks to a slew of holiday homes, access to a £3.5million yacht and helicopter.
Three years on from the settlement, Mr Zimin is appealing against the second payout, on the grounds that his 45-year-old ex-wife took advantage of the UK’s “generous” divorce courts.
The pair have racked up legal bills worth £2.3million over the course of their court battle.
Speaking at the Appeal Court, Richard Todd QC for Mrs Zimina said she should receive even more money from her ex-husband because of his family’s considerable wealth.
He told the court: “The husband has had in the order of £40.5 million and a lifestyle including sumptuous properties in the sun, use of a £3.5 million yacht and ownership of a helicopter.”
“The wife had £3 million in property and £3 million in cash.”
“In a case where the husband had assets in excess of £40.5 million… the wife’s needs should have been assessed on a generously interpreted basis.”
Judges have reserved their ruling until a later date.
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