Dmitry Rybolovlev and Elena Rybolovleva divorced after 27 years, 4 months of marriage. The settlement was reportedly about $4.5B. See the full timeline.
Figures are reported estimates. Last updated Oct 2026.
Initially awarded $4.5B by a Swiss court, later reduced on appeal.
Dmitry Rybolovlev is a Russian billionaire who built his fortune through Uralkali, one of the world's largest potash fertilizer producers. He and Elena married in the Soviet era and together navigated the turbulent post-Soviet economic landscape as Dmitry's business empire grew. The couple had two daughters. By the time their marriage ended, Dmitry had also become the owner of AS Monaco football club and had made headlines for purchasing a Manhattan apartment from Donald Trump at a record price.
Dmitry's rise came through the privatization wave that followed the Soviet Union's collapse. He acquired a controlling stake in Uralkali in the 1990s and eventually sold it for billions, cementing his place among Russia's elite oligarchs. His wealth was further diversified into real estate, art, and sports, including the purchase of AS Monaco in 2011.
Dmitry and Elena married in 1987 and spent decades together as his fortune grew from modest Soviet-era origins to extraordinary wealth. Elena filed for divorce in 2008, triggering a legal battle that would span multiple continents and jurisdictions before a final resolution was reached in the mid-2010s.
A Swiss court initially awarded Elena approximately $4.5 billion — one of the largest divorce settlements ever handed down by a European court. However, Dmitry appealed vigorously, and subsequent rulings significantly reduced the final amount. The case wound through Swiss, Cypriot, and other international courts, with disputes over how Dmitry had structured his assets through offshore entities.
Swiss law, under which much of the proceedings took place, entitles spouses to a share of assets accumulated during the marriage. The sheer size of Dmitry's fortune meant that even a proportional award produced a staggering figure. The complexity of his offshore structures made asset valuation extraordinarily contentious, and the initial court award reflected a judge's attempt to account for hidden or obscured wealth.
The protracted legal battle reportedly weighed on Rybolovlev's reputation and complicated his business dealings. His art collection — which included works purchased through controversial art dealer Yves Bouvier — became a separate subject of litigation entirely. His ownership of AS Monaco remained intact throughout, and the club has continued to be one of France's more competitive football sides.
At its peak initial ruling, the Rybolovlev case briefly challenged the Gates and Bezos settlements for sheer scale. The eventual reduction on appeal brought it closer in line with other mega-settlements such as Alec Wildenstein's split or Harold Hamm's Oklahoma divorce. The multi-jurisdictional nature of the case made it unusually complex even by high-net-worth divorce standards.
One of Elena's daughters, Ekaterina, became embroiled in her own high-profile scandal involving art market manipulation alongside her father. Dmitry's efforts to conceal assets through complex corporate structures in Cyprus and elsewhere became a landmark study for international divorce lawyers navigating cross-border wealth cases.
Elena Rybolovleva's reported settlement was about $4.5 billion.
They married in 1987 and divorced in 2014, a marriage of roughly 27 years.
No prenuptial agreement was reported.
Yes, the family is reported to include 2 children.
Reported assets include: Real estate across Switzerland, Monaco, USA; art collection; AS Monaco FC.
Swiss law, under which much of the proceedings took place, entitles spouses to a share of assets accumulated during the marriage. The sheer size of Dmitry's fortune meant that even a proportional award produced a staggering figure.