Chrysler building co-owner ordered to pay £3.5million a year to his ex-wife
Judge Mostyn said the couple shared a home in London, where Ms Collardeau-Fuchs still lives, and the property has six floors, five bedrooms and an indoor underground swimming pool and, historically, a “staff suite” – including two of the chiefs in turn, a head of the house, two or three housekeepers, as well as a laundress.
Mr Fuchs had told the judge the property was worth £30.2million and was subject to a £21.5million mortgage.
The judge heard there was also a villa in Antibes, France, and a penthouse in Miami, Florida, and called the overhead “enormous”.
Judge Mostyn was told that towards the end of their time together the couple had an “overall annual cost of living” of around £900,000.
The couple signed a prenuptial agreement
Before getting married, the couple signed a marriage contract. This constituted Mr Fuchs providing his ex-wife with net worth of £23.5million plus 18 years of rent-free accommodation in the west London property – an agreement which he claimed “that, according to any objective view, this provision responds to the [her] Needs”.
However, following their March 2020 split, Ms Collardeau-Fuchs complained that Mr Fuchs “almost immediately reduced the provision he was making for her”.
Mr Fuchs did this, he claimed, because ‘she had overspent and the time had come to impose some financial discipline’.
He claimed, for example, that she spent $273,000 in October 2020 and $185,000 in November 2020 on her American Express card “and that’s why he put the limit on her.”
He also denies his allegation that he failed to make payment for various expenses on time.
Judge Mostyn concluded: ‘The husband’s aggregate liability under my order will therefore be at an approximate annual rate of £3.64 million. It’s my judgement. »
The final hearing in the case will take place on October 10.