Ultra-rich businessman gives wife $10.8 million and more property in their divorce … she claims shocking discovery entitles her to $450 million

A bitter divorce between an ultra-rich Australian businessman and his ex-wife has been prolonged by allegations that he hid some of his wealth overseas.

The ex-wife has so far received $10.8 million and tens of millions of dollars worth of property, but is seeking to increase her share to $450 million.

She has launched legal action against her ex-husband in the Family Court of Australia, meaning neither of them can be identified due to privacy laws.

The woman also alleged that her ex-partner abused her and forced her to sign a financial agreement under duress, while he knew she was abusing alcohol.

He denied both claims.

Judge Michael Baumann ruled that the ex-wife’s claims were “unfounded” and rejected her request to terminate the former couple’s previous financial agreement.

He ruled that she was “unwarranted” in seeking to have her ex’s accounts frozen and her share of their fortune drastically increased, Daily Telegraph reported.

Judge Baumann found that the businessman had moved some of his wealth abroad as part of his normal transactions and determined that restricting such transfers would impact shareholders.

The ex-wife’s claim was also blocked by the former financial agreement she signed under duress, she claimed.

That settlement gave her $10.8 million, $10 million worth of Australian property and access to the $9.6 million in her bank accounts.

The ex-husband was also required to transfer another property into her name and make a “balance payment” if it was valued at less than $15 million.

In addition, the woman received $30,000 a month to cover her and their children’s expenses and was to be paid $1 million over four years in “spousal support.”

Her ex-husband claimed he sold assets to finance the deal.

Judge Baumann would have had to void that settlement if he had granted the wife’s request to pursue a settlement of up to $450 million.

Her ex-husband’s lawyers argued the move would cost more than the total value of his assets in Australia, estimated at $174 million.

In rejecting the request, Judge Baumann determined that the money moved abroad was a routine part of the ex-husband’s international business.

“The wife has not established at this stage that the husband has either an intention or a scheme to reduce the interest group in Australia,” he said.

“The wife has shown no evidence that the funds have left Australia.”

Also, during the application for the injunction, the allegations that the woman was abused by the businessman were aired.

She claimed he “exercised financial control” and “isolated” her from “family and friends” during their marriage.

In addition, he allegedly “exercised coercive control” and forced her to sign their former divorce settlement under “coercion” through “false representations of marriage.”

The woman claimed she did this while knowing she was suffering from “alcohol addiction”.

The husband denied the allegations.

While the ex-wife’s claim was dismissed, the decision does not prevent her from taking further action against her ex-husband.