Divorce is always a difficult process, especially when one spouse tries to deceive the other. Our agency was approached by a woman whose husband headed a large Russian company. She knew little about his income: the house they lived in, two cars and an official salary of 100,000 rubles.
The Divorce Announcement
At first the husband withdrew into himself, and coming home late became the norm. Then he coldly announced a divorce and offered to split the property “fifty-fifty”. His wife tried to understand the reason and save the family, but he was adamant and insisted on dividing the property, even though she had only the vaguest idea of what they owned together. That is when she came to us.
A Mistress and Plans
Step by step, the detectives checked the facts and uncovered what the husband had carefully hidden. He had a young mistress whom he intended to marry. And he was counting on leaving his ex-wife with almost nothing.
A Network of Hidden Assets
The main discovery was yet to come. We uncovered a whole network of hidden assets: real estate in Russia and abroad, a large block of shares, a steady income from dividends of companies the husband had founded. His wife had not even suspected such sums.
Wealth can be hidden from a wife for years, but not from professionals.
Signs of Hidden Income
Be on your guard if your spouse’s lifestyle doesn’t match his official salary: expensive purchases, trips, spending that a salary cannot explain. If he avoids talking about money, keeps his documents separately, and you learn about his companies and investments by chance. Before a divorce, such assets are often transferred to relatives or moved out of the joint property.
What the Law Says
Under Russian law, everything acquired during a marriage — real estate and cars, shares, money and other assets — is, as a general rule, divided equally in a divorce. But only what is known can be divided: hidden assets are easily missed.
The information we gathered allowed the woman to defend her rights. She and the children were not left without a livelihood, and the husband’s deception was exposed. If you suspect that your spouse is hiding income or property before a divorce, it is better to find out before the property is divided, not after.