A Florida woman and a New York art dealer born in France have been battling in divorce proceedings since 2014. The woman has accused her husband of hiding valuable art, including works by Monet, Picasso and Matisse, from her.
The woman claims that David and Joe Nahmad — two famous art dealers — did not appear at depositions ordered by a Manhattan judge. In addition, she claims that a real estate dealer in New York has refused to appear for her deposition.
According to an attorney for the Nahmads, the woman’s claims are “nothing more than actionable harassment.” He goes on to say, “This is simply a case of the wife issuing subpoenas to all of the husband’s associates, neighbors, first, second, and third cousins, everyone under the sun.”
Back in 2009, the woman’s husband was charged with harassment after she accused him of physical and verbal threats. Her husband pleaded no contest, but paid a fine and served his probation.
The woman wants the judge in New York to put the two Nahmads in jail for up to a month. Court papers filed by the woman say, “This is relevant, material and necessary information that is essential to [the woman] learning what the marital assets are so that she can seek fair distribution.”
When a spouse attempts to hide marital assets, the other spouse can pursue those assets with the help of a forensic accountant. Attorneys experienced in high asset divorces are familiar with many of the ways that assets may be hidden and can utilize a number of techniques to locate them.
Source: ArtNet News, “Florida Socialite Tries to Have Art Dealing Nahmads Thrown in Jail,” Brian Boucher, July 12, 2016
