Farkhad Akhmedov & Tatiana Akhmedova: The $622 Million Verdict and the Superyacht Chase
A UK court awarded the largest divorce settlement in British history, then the real battle began: chasing a superyacht across continents.
Key Facts
What Happened
Farkhad Akhmedov, an Azerbaijani-born Russian oligarch who made his fortune in oil and gas, married Tatiana Akhmedova in London. The couple had one son, Temur, and lived primarily in the UK during their marriage. When they divorced, Tatiana sought her share of Akhmedov's estimated billion-pound fortune. The case would become one of the most dramatic and protracted divorce enforcement battles in legal history.
In December 2016, the UK High Court awarded Tatiana 41.5 percent of Akhmedov's fortune, totaling approximately £453 million ($622 million). It was the largest divorce award in English legal history. The ruling included a claim on Akhmedov's prized possession: the Luna, a 115-meter superyacht purchased from Roman Abramovich for $353 million in 2013. Akhmedov declared the ruling 'illegitimate' and vowed in a WhatsApp message to his son: 'I will burn this money rather than give her.'
What followed was a global asset chase spanning multiple jurisdictions. Akhmedov moved assets into Liechtenstein trusts, including $140 million worth of art by Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko. The Luna was moored in Dubai, where Tatiana attempted to have it seized, only to be rebuffed by the local courts. The case also took a shocking family turn when Tatiana sued her own son Temur, alleging he had conspired with his father to hide assets. A UK court ruled in Tatiana's favor in that action in 2021.
The saga concluded in July 2021 when the parties agreed to a settlement of approximately £135 million ($186 million), roughly one-third of the original court award. Akhmedov retained the Luna, though it was subsequently seized by EU authorities under sanctions against Russian oligarchs following the invasion of Ukraine. The case remains a landmark illustration of the gap between winning a divorce judgment and actually collecting the money.
Legal Breakdown: Cross-Border Enforcement of Divorce Judgments
Enforcement Across Borders
Winning a divorce judgment is one thing; enforcing it is another. Akhmedov exploited the fact that UK divorce orders are not automatically enforceable in other jurisdictions. Dubai, Liechtenstein, and Russia all have different legal frameworks, and Akhmedov strategically moved assets to jurisdictions where UK court orders carried little weight. The case demonstrated the critical importance of international enforcement mechanisms in cross-border divorces.
Trust Structures as Asset Shields
Akhmedov transferred substantial assets, including art worth $140 million, into Liechtenstein trusts after the divorce was filed. While UK courts can 'pierce the veil' of trusts established to evade divorce settlements, enforcing those rulings in jurisdictions with strong trust-secrecy laws is extremely difficult. Litigants in similar situations need specialist attorneys experienced in international trust law.
Family Members as Co-Conspirators
The unprecedented decision to sue her own son highlighted a growing trend in high-net-worth divorce litigation: targeting third parties who assist in asset concealment. The UK court found that Temur had actively helped his father move assets beyond Tatiana's reach. Courts are increasingly willing to hold family members and advisors liable for participating in asset-hiding schemes.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →A divorce judgment is only as valuable as your ability to enforce it, and cross-border enforcement remains one of the most challenging areas of family law.
- →Spouses who suspect asset concealment should act quickly to identify and freeze assets in every relevant jurisdiction before they are moved.
- →Trust structures in secrecy jurisdictions are commonly used to shield assets from divorce settlements, requiring specialized legal expertise to challenge.
- →Courts are increasingly willing to pursue third parties, including family members, who assist in hiding assets from divorce proceedings.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.