An American property tycoon can be jailed if he steps foot on British soil after failing to pay his mannequin ex-wife’s upkeep invoice following a £5.8m divorce courtroom struggle.
Preston Haskell IV, 55, has been embroiled in an acrimonious five-year battle along with his ex-wife and mom of his three kids, mannequin Alesia Vladimirovna, 40.
They break up up in 2016 after she accused him of serial infidelity and cocaine and alcohol abuse. She demanded a £5million divorce payout in 2016 however he did not pay up.
The sum was anticipated to be paid in instalments, beginning with £50,000 in February final yr, however Mrs Haskell was compelled to return to courtroom saying her ex-husband had not paid the cash in breach of orders.
The Texan millionaire, son of Florida development mogul Preston Haskell III, made his £160million fortune within the property and restaurant enterprise.
His spouse was a member of the unique 5 Hertford Avenue membership, the place Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had their first date.
He’s stated to have loved a ‘superior life-style’ at their Chelsea residence, and threw events graced by the likes of Elton John, Madonna and Cheryl Cole.
He as soon as splashed out practically £1million on a New Yr’s Eve social gathering in 2012, whereas at one other occasion visitors together with Cheryl Cole are stated to have been handed coded gold wristbands as entry passes.
Mr Justice Moor on the Excessive Courtroom dominated that Mr Haskell’s failure to pay his ex-wife was in contempt of courtroom and imposed a six-week jail sentence in his absence if he didn’t pay inside 14 days.
He lodged a Courtroom of Attraction problem in opposition to the ruling but it surely was struck out and now Mr Haskell faces jail if he returns to the UK.
Texan property tycoon Preston Haskell IV, 55, faces jail if he returns to the UK after his ex-wife Alesia took him to the Excessive Courtroom for failing to make the primary £50,000 payout of their £5.8m divorce. Pictured: Mr Haskell leaving courtroom in October 2019
Mr Haskell IV was scheduled to make the primary cost in February final yr, however Mrs Haskell returned to courtroom saying he had not paid up and requested that he be compelled at hand over the money or face jail if no cash got here by way of. Pictured: Mrs Haskell at courtroom in 2019
Mrs Haskell, a Belarussian mannequin, stated she was in such a dire monetary scenario that she might lose her £6,000-a-month Chelsea residence (pictured)
A decide discovered that Mr Haskell’s funds had been ‘opaque’ and famous the string of companies and properties he owns – or is linked to – around the globe. These included a South African vineyard and a ‘magnificent’ £6.5million villa in Cape City (pictured), plus one other high-end villa in Johannesburg
Mr Haskell owns an expansive winery in Cape City in addition to two properties for visitors to remain in whereas visiting
He as soon as splashed out practically £1million on a New Yr’s Eve social gathering in 2012, whereas at one other occasion visitors together with Cheryl Cole are stated to have been handed coded gold wristbands as entry passes
Mr Haskell’s ex-wife is pictured posing outdoors considered one of his Cape City properties in an Instagram image
Mr Haskell is pictured in entrance of his non-public jet with soccer government Ken Bates and his spouse Susannah Bates in 2012
He met his spouse Alesia in Moscow in 2003 and later moved to London the place they rented a £3.3m residence in Sloane Avenue.
However the couple break up amid accusations of Mr Haskell’s infidelity, ingesting and drug taking. Final yr household decide Mr Justice Mostyn ordered him to pay her £5,878,732 – with the primary instalment of £50,000 mounted to be paid by February 20 2020.
When he did not pay up, private model advisor Mrs Haskell, who stated she was in such a dire monetary scenario that she might lose her Chelsea residence, returned to courtroom asking that he be compelled at hand over the money or face jail if no cash got here by way of.
Mr Haskell IV has now been sentenced to 6 weeks in jail in his absence after dropping an enchantment, which means he faces instant imprisonment if he steps again on English soil.
His legal professionals final week on the Courtroom of Attraction argued that Mr Haskell had shelled out ‘appreciable sums’ since March 2020 to permit her to pay her utilities payments and £6,000-a-month lease on her flat, however his enchantment was refused by Lord Justice Underhill.
Mr Haskell’s ex-wife is pictured posing in an Instagram put up on the mogul’s villa in Cape City
Pictured: One of many properties that holidaymakers can guide to remain in on Mr Haskell’s winery in Cape City
The winery additionally has a restaurant which visitors and vacationers can dine in with a view of the huge expanse of Mr Haskell’s property
A decide stated that Mr Haskell additionally owns a £6.5million villa in Cape City high-end villa in Johannesburg. Pictured: The view from one of many vineyards’ eating places
Pictured: The elegant and elaborate villa that Mr Haskell owns in Cape City however has not tried to promote with a view to pay his ex-wife what he owes
The villa boasts a bespoke inside with leather-based sofas, uncovered beams and a working hearth
The villa is surrounded by greenery and options many flowing staircases all through the property
Throughout the couple’s first courtroom battle, which concluded with the £5.8million order in March final yr, Mr Justice Mostyn stated the pair, who married in 2008, had loved a ‘superior life-style’ after transferring to London in 2013.
They’d a £3.3million residence in Sloane Avenue, in addition to properties around the globe, however the marriage was ‘blighted by the husband’s serial infidelity and abuse of cocaine and alcohol,’ he stated.
Mrs Haskell filed for divorce in November 2016, sparking the bitter courtroom row over cash, throughout which Mr Haskell ‘denounced (his spouse) as a gold digger’ and commenced a ‘course of of monetary attrition.’
The decide had so as to add up the worth of the couple’s belongings and the way a lot Mr Haskell – who in 2013 was linked with a bid to purchase Coventry Metropolis FC – ought to pay in upkeep, and stated the tycoon had even requested him to weigh his ex’s engagement ring within the stability.
However the decide instructed the courtroom: ‘I don’t take note of any worth of the spouse’s engagement ring. The husband was very eager that I ought to accomplish that asserting that it was price maybe £100,000.
‘It’s bordering on the grotesque that the husband ought to be anticipating the spouse to liquidate this ring.’
Pictured: The tennis courts which Mr Haskell’s Cape City villa backs on to
The villa additionally boasts a big swimming pool with a backyard sufficiently big for decking and a seating and eating space
The lavatory options artworks and sculptures in addition to a freestanding tub
He discovered that Mr Haskell’s funds had been ‘opaque’ and famous the string of companies and properties he owns – or is linked to – around the globe.
These included a South African vineyard and a ‘magnificent’ £6.5million villa in Cape City, plus one other high-end villa in Johannesburg.
He purchased the 57-acre winery in 2002 in Stellenbosch and turned it right into a vineyard, restaurant and visitor lodging beneath the title Haskell Vineyards.
‘The villa in Cape City is an impressive property with views over the ocean,’ added the decide.
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Mr Haskell had complained that he was in a dire monetary place and was unable to get his arms on money, telling the decide: ‘I’ve no cash in any respect.’
The true property boss – as soon as seemingly price £160million – claimed to have ‘liabilities’ of £50million and to be struggling to satisfy his upkeep commitments.
Nevertheless, Mr Justice Mostyn determined Mr Haskell might get his arms on adequate funds to pay his ex £5.8million to conclude their divorce.
Mr Haskell met spouse Alesia in Moscow in 2003 and later moved to London the place they’d a rented £3.3m residence in Sloane Avenue and Belarussian mannequin Mrs Haskell loved membership of the unique 5 Hertford Avenue membership (pictured)
Different abroad pursuits embody a stake in a Swedish gold exploration firm, a part of a constructing in Kiev, land in Crimea, a part of a enterprise in Romania, and a sublime property within the Swedish Archipelago full with a motor yacht.
He additionally highlighted social media posts from Mr Haskell during which he was proven talking about his ‘stunning yr’ and posing with a £400 bottle of classic crimson wine.
Giving him two years’ ‘respiration house’ to get his funds on monitor, he stated the ultimate instalment of the invoice ought to be paid by March 2022.
But it surely was his failure to pay the primary £50,000 instalment in February 2020 which triggered his ex’s bid to have him jailed for contempt of courtroom if he didn’t pay up.
With Mr Haskell now abroad, the case got here earlier than Mr Justice Moor within the Excessive Courtroom in Might and ended with the decide discovering Mr Haskell had ‘solely set his coronary heart in opposition to complying with these courtroom orders aside from on his phrases’.
‘I’m, nevertheless, fairly clear that he has had, for the reason that date of the order, the means to pay the £50,000 as the primary instalment of the lump sum, and that he has refused or uncared for to take action,’ the decide commented.
Mr Haskell was handed a six-week jail sentence by Mr Justice Moor, however final week claimed by way of his authorized crew on the Courtroom of Attraction that the decide received it incorrect.
His ex-wife had herself confirmed he had paid out varied sums since February 2020, however couldn’t say how a lot and had not filed any proof to replace the scenario, stated his solicitor Adam Tear.
And as Mr Haskell was her supply of earnings, she should have obtained giant quantities from him to allow her to maintain paying the £6,000-a-month lease on her Sloane Avenue residence, he argued.
‘As such, with out updating proof, the decide might by no means have been positive in any respect even on the stability of chances, if the sum had not been discharged by February 2020, it had not been discharged since that point,’ stated Mr Tear.
‘On the circumstantial proof, the decide was certain to conclude that the respondent, whose personal supply of useful resource was Mr Haskell, should have obtained appreciable sums of cash from him or on his behalf to pay lease, and different prices which were incurred.
‘The respondent gave no proof of borrowing cash, or different sources of earnings, not declared within the matrimonial.’
Rejecting his problem and upholding the jail sentence, Lord Justice Underhill stated: ‘The decide was totally entitled to conclude to the prison customary that £50,000 was nonetheless excellent.’
