Billionaire US Chrysler building co-owner Michael Fuchs, 62, must pay out more than £3.5million every year until a judge decides how much money his estranged wife should walk away with in their divorce
- Michael Fuchs, 62, and Alvina Collardeau-Fuchs, 46, fighting at the High Court
- Mr Fuchs had an ‘extraordinarily successful career’ before their marriage in 2012
- The couple had a £30m home in London, Miami penthouse and villa in France
- Judge ruled Mr Fuchs must pay maintenance and overheads of £3.64m a year
The billionaire co-owner of the US Chrysler building must pay out more than £3.5million every year until a judge decides how much money his estranged wife should walk away with in their divorce.
Michael Fuchs, a German-born 62-year-old who moved to the US in the 1990s, and French former journalist Alvina Collardeau-Fuchs, 46, are fighting over money at the High Court in London.
The couple, who have two children together, married in New York in 2012 before separating two years ago.
Mr Fuchs had enjoyed an ‘extraordinarily successful career’ and owned a ‘very significant amount of prime Midtown Manhattan real estate’ before marrying Ms Collardeau-Fuchs, the court heard.
The couple shared a £30m home together in London, where Ms Collardeau-Fuchs still lives, which boasts six floors, five bedrooms and an indoor underground swimming pool.
Mr Justice Mostyn heard they also had a villa in Antibes, France, and a penthouse in Miami, Florida.
He today made rulings on how much maintenance Ms Collardeau-Fuchs should receive while the dispute continues, confirming that a final hearing is due to begin on October 10.
He ruled that Mr Fuchs should pay his former partner around £70,000 a month maintenance – equivalent to more than £800,000 a year.
However, Mr Fuchs said he will also cover the cost of staff and other overheads – expenses the judge says will total around £2.7m a year.
Mr Justice Mostyn said his ‘overall liability’ would therefore be ‘an approximate annual rate of £3.64m’.
Michael Fuchs and Alvina Collardeau-Fuchs pictured together in New York in 2011 – a year before their marriage
The couple (pictured in 2011) shared a £30m home together in London, while they also owned a a villa in Antibes, France, and a penthouse in Miami, Florida
Ms Collardeau-Fuchs had asked for £130,000 a month in maintenance, but her ex-husband offered £31,000, the judge said.
Mr Fuchs told the court that the couple’s London property was worth £30.2 million and was subject to a mortgage of £21.5 million.
Historically, a retinue of staff had been employed at the property, including two rota chefs, a house manager, two or three housekeepers, and a laundress.
Mr Justice Mostyn was told that, towards the end of their relationship, they had ‘global annual living costs’ of around £900,000.
He described the overheads as ‘enormous’.
The judge said the divorcing couple had already spent more than £900,000 on lawyers between them – Mr Fuchs more than £450,000 and Ms Collardeau-Fuchs more than £460,000.
He earlier ruled, at a recent preliminary hearing, that they could be named in media reports.
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