$5.77 Billion – The World’s Highest Divorce Payout

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Dmitry Rybolovlev, 43, the King of russian fertilizer, ranked as Russia’s 10th richest man, is locked in a bitter divorce case with his wife of 23 years and the mother of his two daughters. The wife, Elena Rybolovlev, is flinging allegations of infidelity. She’s also fighting to seize 50 percent of the couple’s marital assets, which she estimates to be worth between $6 billion and $12 billion. What is at stake for the mining magnate apart from that? His art collection, which includes paintings by Picasso, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Monet. A $109.39million motor yacht called “The MY Anna” and a $94.14 million mansion in Palm Beach, Florida originally owned by Donald Trump. Mrs. Rybolovlev’s claim will be close to $5.77 billion, or half the wealth which her husband earned since their marriage in 1987. Dmitry Rybolovlev is vigorously contesting his wife’s claims, saying that she signed a document in 2005 that limited any divorce settlement to just over $91 million.

Dmitry met his wife at medical school in the rundown provincial town of Perm in the 1980s.  Like many other oligarchs, Mr Rybolovlev acquired industrial assets from the state at a knock-down price in the 1990s.  Until a few weeks ago when he disposed of much of his stake, he was a controlling shareholder in Uralkali, a giant potash fertiliser producer based near the Ural Mountains.  The couple have lived primarily in Geneva since 1995.