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A Lamborghini-driving tycoon who splashed the cash on a playboy lifestyle, watching with ‘utter contempt’ as his ex-wife descended into poverty, has been warned by a judge that he will be sent to prison unless he pays her more than £2 million.
The multi-millionaire expatriate had been ordered in divorce proceedings to pay his ex-wife a lump sum of £2 million, as well as £300,000 towards her legal costs, following the end of their seven-year marriage. During their relationship, from lowly beginnings, they had built up a flourishing business in the Middle East.
Since their divorce, however, he had paid her only ‘in dribs and drabs’ and still owed her over £2 million. He had frittered away huge sums on jewellery, watches, cars and other luxury items, whilst she had to ‘watch every penny’ and was forced to put her home up for sale after returning to the UK.
The ex-wife’s barrister said, “This is a case of outrageous and defiant disobedience of the Court’s order. It is clear that the husband continues to lead a lavish lifestyle and that his claims of poverty are hollow. He has given severely deficient and dishonest evidence to the Court in an effort to defeat his former wife’s claim and has refused to pay more than a token sum. The consequences for the wife have been profound.”
After hearing evidence of the man’s spending habits, the Court held him in contempt and found that he was capable of meeting his debt to his ex-wife. He was directed to sell two overseas businesses to raise funds for that purpose and was hit with a six-week jail term, suspended for three months to give him time to come up with the money.
