Russian oligarch embroiled in UK’s biggest divorce battle wins right to sail off in his £350 million superyacht after sharia judges in Dubai overrule British court
- Farkhad Akmedov has been fighting a bitter divorce battle against ex-wife Tatiana
- The oligarch’s £350 million superyacht has been impounded in Dubai for 8 months
- British lawyers for his ex-wife successfully got the asset seized
- But the sharia judges have overruled the Arab commercial courts in Akhmedov’s favour
- Tatiana will appeal but Akhmedov is celebrating success in their acrimomious divorce
A Russian oligarch has won the right to keep his £350 million superyacht and stop it being handed to his ex-wife as part of their long-standing bitter fought divorce battle.
Farkhad Akmedov has been told he can he can keep the mega yacht and is free to sail it away from a port in Dubai.
The yacht Luna – one of the world’s most luxurious vessels – has been under lock and key for months after a British court ordered it to be seized.
His ex-wife Tatiana had successfully won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after Akhmedov refused to pay her half his £1bn fortune.
The mother of two planned to sell the yacht and keep the proceeds – with her ex vowing to sell it for scrap rather than relinquish control.
Russian oligarch Farkhad Akmedov has won the right to keep his £350m superyacht and stop it being handed to his ex-wife as part of their long-standing bitter fought divorce battle
He has been told by sharia judges in Dubai he can he can keep the mega yacht and is free to sail it away from a port in the Arab state. The yacht Luna – one of the world’s most luxurious vessels – has been under lock and key for months after a British court ordered it to be seized
Akhmedov’s ex-wife Tatiana (above) had successfully won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after he refused to pay her half his £1bn fortune. She planned to sell the yacht and keep the proceeds – with her ex vowing to sell it for scrap rather than relinquish control
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Akhmedov, 62, has refused to accept the British divorce courts decision to pay his wife £453m claiming he and his wife were already divorced when they lived in Moscow.
Officials in Moscow have said they can’t find any record of the split in 2002, but Akhmedov insists he and his wife were no longer married when she filed for divorce in 2014.
The businessman, who made his fortune in gas and oil, has been unable to use the yacht for over eight months after it was impounded when it sailed in Dubai for repairs.
But now judges in a Sharia court have ruled that a commercial court in the Arab kingdom did not have the right to uphold the freezing order imposed by a UK court. They have ruled that ownership belongs to Akhmedov.
As part of the decision the Sharia judges said 42-year-old Tatiana should pay her husband’s legal costs.
The court ruling will come as a blow to Tatiana who has hired a London based litigation firm to fund her lengthy legal battle against her ex.
The 115m yacht is the focus of Britain’s most costliest divorce.
Akhmedov, 62, has refused to accept the British divorce courts decision to pay his wife £453m claiming he and his wife were already divorced when they lived in Moscow
Officials in Moscow have said they can’t find any record of the split in 2002, but Akhmedov insists he and his wife were no longer married when she filed for divorce in 2014
The businessman, who made his fortune in gas and oil, has been unable to use the yacht for over eight months after it was impounded when it sailed in Dubai for repairs
But now judges in a Sharia court have ruled that a commercial court in the Arab kingdom did not have the right to uphold the freezing order imposed by a UK court. They have ruled that ownership belongs to Akhmedov
As one of the world’s super yachts Luna boasts a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad and a mini-submarine.
It was bought by Akhmedov from his friend Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch in 2014.
The businessman has insisted he given millions to his ex so she can continue to live in luxury.
Tatiana, a British citizen, was handed ownership of the families £20m Surrey home and an art collection worth more than £30m.
A spokesman for Mr Akhmedov welcomed the Sharia court ruling.
The spokesman said: ‘Mr Akhmedov is delighted but not surprised by the court decision in favour of the Akhmedov family trust.
‘He believes the attempts by Tatiana and her team, backed for profit by City capital, to tie down family assets around the world are as misguided as the original English High Court was in granting Tatiana a second divorce 16 years after their marriage was validly dissolved in Russia.
‘He believes it is a massive gamble which Tatiana and her backers simply cannot win, and is reassured that the wise judges of Dubai’s local courts have seen Tatiana’s cynical claims for what they are.’
The court ruling will come as a blow to Tatiana who has hired a London based litigation firm to fund her lengthy legal battle against her ex. The 115m yacht is the focus of Britain’s most costliest divorce
As one of the world’s super yachts Luna boasts a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool (above), a helicopter landing pad and a mini-submarine
It was bought by Akhmedov from his friend Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch in 2014
The businessman has insisted he given millions to his ex so she can continue to live in luxury. Tatiana, a British citizen, was handed ownership of the families £20m Surrey home (above) and an art collection worth more than £30m
A spokesman for Tatiana said they are examining the court ruling and claimed he would not be able to sail away in the yacht: ‘For now, nothing material will change and importantly Luna will remain in Port Rashid under arrest’
A spokesman for Tatiana said they are examining the court ruling and claimed he would not be able to sail away in the yacht.
‘Both the significance and the substance of the Dubai Court of First Instance’s ruling are yet to be determined, said the spokesman.
‘All that has been handed down at this stage is the decision. Until we have the full judgment together with reasons, we are unable to comment any further.
‘Once published, Ms Akhmedova’s lawyers look forward to the opportunity to scrutinise the court’s reasoning and to consider any grounds for appeal.
‘For now, nothing material will change and importantly Luna will remain in Port Rashid under arrest.’
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