A Russian businessman has been ordered by a British court to hand over more than £100 million of money and assets to his ex-wife after it emerged he was leading a secret double life.Mikhail Krupyev and Elena Krupyeva were married in 1988 and spent more than three decades together before their relationship fell apart.
The breakup came after she discovered he had another wife and child in Russia.According to The Sun, the couple moved to the UK in 1993 after he became a British citizen, and they had two children together. However, the court heard that his second child from the secret relationship was born around 2008. Their divorce has been ongoing since 2024, mainly due to disagreements over money and assets.At the heart of the case was the couple’s wealth. Krupiev owns companies related to oil and gas, including a company with a contract worth between $1.5 billion and $2 billion to export oil from Syria.
Another company operating in Kazakhstan was said to generate profits amounting to tens of millions of dollars.During the hearings, his ex-wife’s legal team argued that she should get three properties, including their former seven-bedroom home in St John’s Wood in London worth £14.4 million, along with homes in Russia and Portugal worth £26 million. They also requested £32.1 million in cash.Krupiev, who appeared in court via video link and represented herself, said she should only get the property and £300,000.
But the court rejected his position.Deputy High Court judge James Ewens ruled that he must hand over the three properties and £60 million in cash, bringing the total settlement to around £100.6 million.The judge criticized Krupev’s behavior throughout the case. He said his “continuous violation of various court orders” had “significantly distorted” his position. He also described the evidence he presented as “completely unsatisfactory and lacking in credibility,” adding that his repeated apologies were “empty.”Krupiev was previously sentenced to 28 days in jail for contempt of court after refusing to allow his work to be properly evaluated. The sentence was suspended on the condition that he complies with court orders.The family lived a very wealthy lifestyle during the marriage, regularly moving between homes in London, Portugal, Turkey and Russia, the court was told. They took luxury holidays on a private jet, including annual Christmas trips to Mustique, and Elena Kropeva also made regular shopping trips to Milan.
Krupyev also owns expensive collections of wine, watches, and firearms.After the relationship collapsed, she said her monthly allowance of £40,000 was cut off. Kropev claimed he had limited funds, but the judge noted he had spent more than £500,000 on his American Express card in less than a year. He also found that he was supporting his second family financially.Judge Ewens said the £100.6 million settlement was “affordable” for Krubeev and would only require him to use a small portion of his wealth.In a statement shared through her attorney in Pine Hicks Beach, Elena Kropeva said she was “pleased” with the decision after what she described as “a period of troubling insecurity.”