A former supermodel's astounding £75m award by the U.K. high court in her divorce settlement may be delayed. The model, Christina Estrada, was married to a Saudi billionaire, Sheikh Walid Juffali. He passed away just two weeks after the court ordered him to pay the money to Estrada from cancer in Zurich, where he had been receiving treatment.
According to reports, if Juffali had succumbed before the high court had issued its final order, Estrada would not have received anything. Because Juffali's health had been rapidly failing, Estrada requested the court to move the hearing date up. Juffali was not present for the hearing as he was in Zurich receiving his cancer treatment.
Estrada married Juffali in 2000. The marriage faltered in 2012 when Juffali married another model, a 25-year-old woman from Lebanon. He was still married to Estrada at the time, but having more than one wife is allowed in Muslim culture. Juffali then divorced Estrada without her knowledge in 2014 under Islamic law in Saudi Arabia. Estrada's award is the largest award for personal needs in U.K. history. She will still receive it, but it may be delayed while Juffali's affairs are settled.
A person who is preparing to file for divorce may want to consult with a family law solicitor. In cases involving substantial assets, dividing the property and assets may be very complex. A solicitor might want to enlist the services of a forensic professional to locate assets that have been hidden away in order to ensure that the client receives the rightful share.
Source: Daily Mail, "Saudi billionaire dies just two weeks after his supermodel ex-wife was awarded £75m in high court divorce settlement," Amie Gordon, July 23, 2016.
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