A Saudi billionaire took a diplomatic post to defeat his ex-wife's claim, lost, and died nine days before he had to pay £53 million

Walid Juffali was chairman and heir of E. A. Juffali and Brothers. He was married for 12 years to the model Christina Estrada, and they had a daughter. He divorced her by talaq in Saudi Arabia and took another wife; Estrada said he did both without her knowledge. She sought financial relief in London. He had himself appointed Saint Lucia's Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization and claimed diplomatic immunity. In February 2016 the High Court found he took the post solely to defeat her claims and never meaningfully performed it, and the immunity did not cover the case. She asked for £196 million, including £55 million for a London home. On 8 July 2016 she was awarded £53 million, about £75 million counting her own assets. Her lawyers called it the largest needs award by an English court. His lawyers put his net worth at about £113.8 million; hers put it at £8 billion. He died of cancer in Zurich on 20 July 2016, aged 61, nine days before the payment deadline of 29 July. Before his death he had transferred assets to his daughters under Islamic law. An application was reported to set aside that transfer, which set Estrada against her own daughter^†. Sources found do not report whether the award was paid.