Oil Tycoon Faces Jail in Divorce Battle Over Hidden Second Family

Mikhail Kroupeev

Russian oil magnate Mikhail Kroupeev is facing possible jail time after allegedly failing to pay court-ordered legal fees in his multi-million-pound divorce case with his estranged wife, Elena Kroupeeva. The former couple’s 36-year marriage ended in 2023 when Kroupeeva discovered her husband had secretly maintained a second family in Russia for over 20 years.

Appearing before the High Court in London, Ms. Kroupeeva’s legal team accused the Gulfsands Energy chairman of contempt, alleging he withheld over £800,000 in legal support, refused to disclose the full extent of his business empire, and failed to provide maintenance. Justice Harrison ruled on Wednesday that Kroupeev had “willfully neglected” to comply with multiple court orders.

The court heard details of the couple’s lavish lifestyle—multiple luxury properties, private school tuition for their two children, and extravagant holidays on private jets. Kroupeeva’s counsel described her husband’s attitude as treating the case like “a game he intends to cheat.”

While Kroupeev’s lawyers deny claims regarding a second family, the court was told he fathered a child in 2008 with another woman and secretly funded the child’s education alongside his own children in the UK.

Justice Harrison adjourned sentencing until next week, ordering Kroupeev to appear in person. If jailed, the tycoon would join a rare list of ultra-wealthy individuals held in contempt in one of Britain’s most high-profile divorce battles to date.