A highly dramatic divorce case has recently hit the headlines, involving a Russian billionaire’s wealth and a bitter family breakdown. In summing up, Mrs Justice Knowles quoted the first sentence from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, ‘All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.’
Tatiana Akhmedova has successfully sued her former husband, Farkhad Akhmedov, after he failed to hand over more than £5 million following a £453 million settlement in 2017. Farkhad stated privately, to his son Temur, that he would rather ‘burn’ money than see it in his ex-wife’s possession.
The judge stated that ‘Temur has learned well from his father’s past conduct and has done and said all he could to prevent his mother from receiving a penny of the matrimonial assets’. Temur has been ordered to pay his mother around £75 million after he collaborated with Farkhad in international schemes to hide the wealth that should have been transferred to his mother.
The involvement of Tatiana Akhmedova’s son in the proceedings highlights another aspect of family law that unfortunately makes an appearance in many divorces; parental alienation. Temur sided so strongly with his father that he believed that his mother deserved nothing of the family’s vast fortune.
You can find the Judgment here.
Here in Cornwall, at Nalders Solicitors, we believe in resolving family issues in a positive and respectful way. We aim to promote healthy family relationships in the future, beyond divorce. Something that neither the Kareninas nor the Akhmedovs were able to achieve.
Nalders have a dedicated team of family law specialists. Please contact Manda Toms, Jane Blanks or Lindsey Jackson from our Family Law Team to find out how they can advise you on your divorce, either by filling in our contact form or phone 01872 241414 to be directed to your closest office.