Originally Syndicated on May 13, 2023 @ 11:13 am
On December 4, real estate baron Dmitry Zelenov became one of the modern Russian oligarchs to mysteriously pass away after he got ill during a dinner party on the French Riviera, fell over a stair railing, and succumbed to critical head injuries.
Though they suspect no wrongdoing, French police are still investigating Zelenov’s unusual and untimely death. At just 50 years old, he left behind a wife and four children (his family learned of one minor after his death), but no will or estate plan to divvy up his assets.
Less than two months later, some of his family members say they’ve been locked out of his fortune. According to a complaint filed in Florida court on January 24, Zelenov’s widow, Natalia Dvoryanynova, and their adult son, Michael Zelenov, have filed suit against Dmitry’s parents, adult daughter, and financial advisor for allegedly trying to disinherit them from some of Zelenov’s biggest assets around the world.
In one instance, the complaint alleges the defendants changed the locks on Zelenov and his wife’s home in Moscow and took more than two dozen of his cars—including four Mercedes, two Bentleys, and a Rolls Royce—collectively worth more than seven figures.
Phone calls and messages to his parents were left unreturned, but the defendants have until February 16 to respond to a court summons before proceedings begin.
In the complaint, his wife and eldest son further allege they’ve lost access to rental proceeds from a luxury ski chalet in Courchevel, France, as well as a sprawling seven-bedroom estate (last assessed at US$5 million) set on 2.4 acres in the upscale enclave of Alpine, New Jersey, home to billionaire hedge fund founder Larry Robbins and celebrities like comedian Chris Rock. Dvoryanynova and her two children with Zelenov reside on the exclusive Fisher Island, the nation’s wealthiest zip code that’s only accessible from Miami by ferry (or yacht).
