Russian Oligarch Pays £100M in Divorce Settlement

A British-naturalized Russian oligarch, Mikhail Kroupeev, has been ordered by the High Court to pay his ex-wife, Elena Kroupeeva, £100 million in cash and property following the discovery of his secret second family.

Marriage and Divorce

Mikhail and Elena Kroupeev initially married in Russia in 1988, moving to the United Kingdom in 1993. Their 35-year marriage ended in 2023 after the revelation of Mr. Kroupeev’s second family – a wife and child residing in Russia, born around 2008.

Financial Dispute and Court Proceedings

The discovery of the second family triggered a financial dispute beginning in 2024. The case revealed Mr. Kroupeev’s extensive business interests, including a company with a $1.5 to $2 billion oil export contract from Syria and another involved in oil and gas exports in Kazakhstan.

Contempt of Court

Mr. Kroupeev initially resisted the valuation of his assets, resulting in a 28-day prison sentence for contempt of court. A four-day High Court hearing took place in February to determine the settlement.

Settlement Details

Ms. Kroupeeva’s legal team requested the transfer of the former marital home – a seven-bedroom property in St John’s Wood, London, valued at £14.4 million – along with properties in Russia and Portugal (valued at £26 million) and lump sum payments totaling £32.1 million.

Mr. Kroupeev, representing himself remotely, proposed a settlement of only £300,000, despite acknowledging the transferability of the properties. Deputy High Court Judge James Ewins KC ultimately ruled in favor of Ms. Kroupeeva.

The final order requires Mr. Kroupeev to pay £60 million in cash and transfer ownership of the properties in London, Portugal, and Russia, totaling £100.6 million.

Lifestyle and Credibility

Court proceedings highlighted the couple’s luxurious lifestyle, including private jet travel, annual Christmas trips to Mustique, shopping excursions to Milan, and extensive collections of wine, watches, and firearms.

Judge Ewins criticized Mr. Kroupeev’s disregard for court orders, describing his involvement as ‘significantly tainted’ by breaches. He found Ms. Kroupeeva’s evidence ‘coherent and consistent’ while deeming Mr. Kroupeev’s as ‘profoundly unsatisfactory and lacking credibility’.

Financial Discrepancies

Evidence showed Mr. Kroupeev spent over £523,000 on his American Express card between October 2024 and September 2025 and funded his second family’s education, despite claiming limited funds.

Outcome and Reaction

Ms. Kroupeeva expressed her ‘delight’ through her legal representatives at Payne Hicks Beach, calling the outcome a welcome resolution to a period of ‘troubling insecurity’. The case underscores the complexities of high-net-worth divorce settlements and the importance of transparency in financial disclosures.