The divorce of ultra-wealthy Russians has left a judge in the Royal Courts of Justice with ‘no choice’ but to place a suspended sentence on one party for repeated failures to comply with court rulings.
The collapse of the 36 year marriage of Mikhail Kroupeev, non-executive chair of energy company Gulfsands, and Elena Kroupeeva has been playing out in the courts after the discovery in 2023 of an alleged double life Mr Kroupeev had lived with a secret second family in Russia. The couple have British citizenship having lived in Britain since 1993.
Mr Kroupeev has business interests across the Gulf and a sizeable property portfolio including a £15m house in London, luxury homes in Portugal and Turkey, and properties in Russia worth £10m pounds. In a hearing last week Michael Glaser, Mr Kroupeev’s lawyer, said his client denied the allegations about having a double life.
Mr Kroupeev, who currently resides in Cyprus did not attend in person despite a court order and was described as “arrogant, controlling and profoundly disrespectful, both to your wife and to the court”. Mr Justice Harrison said it was the latest in a series of failures to comply with court orders. On 18th June 2025 Mr Kroupeev was held n contempt for deliberate breaches of court orders, with the latest breach leaving the judge with little choice but to apply a custodial sentence, suspended on terms
“I did not want to bring an application to commit my husband to prison,” comments Elena Kroupeeva following the sentencing hearing. “But after numerous attempts to have him comply with court orders, I simply had no choice.”
Mikhail Kroupeev was sentenced to 28 days imprisonment, suspended on terms. On the order of costs, Mr Justice Harrison granted £90,000 (90% of costs sought by applicant).
Elena Kroupeeva is represented by Justin Warshaw KC and Juliet Chapman instructed by Payne Hicks Beach (Harriet Errington, Katie Parkes and Aoife Devereaux).
