Summary:
The article discusses the ongoing legal battle between Dmitri Rybolovlev and Yves Bouvier, and highlights the recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights which deemed the search and exploitation of Rybolovlev’s lawyer’s phone to be in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, potentially leading to a crucial decision in Monaco’s court of appeals.
Full Story:
The Rybolovlev-Bouvier Affair, a legal dispute that has been unfolding since 2015, might finally reach a decisive conclusion on February 27, 2025, after the Court of Appeal of Monaco convened to determine the validity of the case file. This development follows a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in June, which found that the search and exploitation of the phone belonging to Dmitri Rybolovlev’s lawyer, Tetiana Bersheda, violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The dispute arose when Rybolovlev, the President of AS Monaco, accused Swiss art advisor Yves Bouvier of defrauding him of $1 billion in art transactions. The legal battle has played out across multiple jurisdictions globally. In addition to the financial allegations, an invasion of privacy case was opened in Monaco in 2016, involving a mutual friend of Rybolovlev and Bouvier, Tania Rappo. The complaint was filed after Bersheda recorded a private conversation with Rappo and Rybolovlev during a dinner to prove Rappo’s complicity with Bouvier. The Court of Human Rights concluded that the investigating judge had exceeded the scope of his investigations and that there were no clear limitations on the examination of the phone. The Swiss federal court subsequently decided to close a procedure against Rybolovlev. Now, the Monaco judges must decide whether or not to comply with the European recommendations. This decision, expected on February 27, 2025, could mark the end of nearly a decade of legal proceedings.
Source:
Monaco Tribune
