The wife of a Russian oligarch who hid her £1million handbag collection during the couple's divorce battle worth tens of millions has been accused of leading the court 'on a merry dance' by the judge.

Elsina Khayrova, 36, who is a former model and the daughter of a Russian MP, and her husband Dmitry Tsetkov, 42, have been involved in a bitter fight over their assets, the Telegraph reports.

The pair split last year after more than a decade of marriage when Ms Khayrova asked her husband for a divorce.

They have assets including a plethora of properties, among which are a £22million mansion on the Wentworth estate in Surrey as well as houses in London worth £18million.

They also hold properties in both Dubai and Cyprus alongside their car, jewellery and art collections worth millions of pounds.

Elsina Khayrova (pictured), 36, who is a former model and the daughter of a Russian MP, and her husband Dmitry Tsetkov, 42, have been involved in a bitter fight over the assets worth millions of pounds

The court was also told how Mr Tsvetkov (pictured), an entrepreneur who first came to the UK in 2004 and was granted a British passport and indefinite leave to remain five years later, hasn't been able to make 'meaningful sums of money' since June 2022

As part of their assets, Ms Khayrova failed to include her large handbag collection of more than 150 bags worth nearly £1 million. 

During a hearing in February this year, she lied and said she only owned about 20 handbags and reiterated that lie to the court in May 2023. 

According to the judge, she also 'downplayed the bags', saying it would be disproportionate to even have them valued.

Mr Justice Peel said in his judgement handed down at the High Court that the case had been 'infected by [Ms Khayrova's] dishonesty from start to finish'.

He added that she 'led the court on a merry dance about handbags' by lying about the assets.

Ms Khayrova is the daughter of Rinat Khayrov, a Russian politician who worked in the country's ministry of defence before being elected to parliament in 2011, where he served until 2021.

When she separated from her husband in 2020, Ms Khayrova quickly prevented Mr Tsvetkov's access to their family bank accounts and credits cards, the court heard.

She also transferred some of their properties in Cyprus into her mother's name, which the judge said was an 'obvious attempt' to take assets from her husband's reach.

Mr Justice Peel ruled that the 'greater responsibility for this expensive litigation' fell to Ms Khayrova (pictured left), who was ordered to pay half of her husband's £1,761,488 legal bill

As part of their valuable jewellery collection, the pair owner investment grade diamons and a Patek Phillipe watch, which were kept in a Safe Deposit box at Harrods.

The key to the box had Mr Tsvetkov, but Ms Khayrova convinced staff at the store that the keys were lost and got a set for herself without telling her husband and later omitting the items from evidence, the High Court was told. 

The court was also told how Mr Tsvetkov, an entrepreneur who first came to the UK in 2004 and was granted a British passport and indefinite leave to remain five years later, hasn't been able to make 'meaningful sums of money' since June 2022.

This is due to Ms Khayrova blocking his access to the family bank accounts, the court heard.

But Mr Justice Peel said he was optimistic that 'clever, resourceful and well-connected' Mr Tsvetkov would soon be able to start trading again. 

Ms Khayrova, on the other hand, did not work during the marriage and tried setting up a coffee business during the divorce proceedings which had failed.

'There is no real indication that her next business proposition, a private members' beauty club, is likely to be financially fruitful,' the judge said.

Mr Justice Peel ruled that the 'greater responsibility for this expensive litigation' fell to Ms Khayrova, who was ordered to pay half of her husband's £1,761,488 legal bill.

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