'Fabulously wealthy' heiress wins battle over ex-husband's estate
A “fabulously wealthy” heiress whose ex-husband committed suicide after they separated has won a multi-million legal fight with the executors of his estate.
The woman agreed to give the man a £17.3m payout after their 14-year marriage collapsed, a High Court judge was told.
Three weeks after the payout had been approved by a family court judge, the man killed himself, Mr Justice Moor heard.
The heiress then discovered that he had not left his assets to their three children – all aged under 14 – but to his adult brothers.
She took legal action against the executors of his estate – saying she would not have agreed to hand over such a “large sum” if she had any “inkling” of what he would do.
Mr Justice Moor has ruled in her favour – after a family court hearing in London – and concluded that she should be re-paid £3.6 million from his estate.
Detail of the case has emerged in a written ruling. No-one involved was identified.
Mr Justice Moor said the heiress was in her 40s and her ex-husband had been older.
The judge said on “on any view” she was “fabulously wealthy” – and he said the couple had lived on a £30 million estate.
He said the ex-husband had been worth about £2 million.
