Julia Haart‘s efforts in her messy divorce battle were not in vain.
The “My Unorthodox Life” star has been embroiled in a bitter divorce from her ex-husband, Silvio Scaglia, since 2022, marked by legal battles that began when he tried to remove her from their joint company.
Four years and numerous legal appearances later, Julia Haart walks off triumphant thanks to probing investigations into the talent company’s financials.
Haart and Scaglia, who jointly owned and managed the world’s most prestigious modeling agency, which represents top talents like Adriana Lima, Kendall Jenner, and Vittoria Ceretti, have officially and legally called it quits. This comes years after a grueling $90 million divorce legal war.
For those who do not know, Scaglia bought Elite Models in 2011 and appointed Haart as the agency’s CEO in March 2019, months before the wedding. Shortly after the fashion designer revealed her plans to end their union, Scaglia tried to have her removed from the company.
This triggered a series of lawsuits and brutal countersuits over control of Elite and other associated companies, including claims from the Tech boss that his ex-wife had siphoned company funds.
The divorce drama escalated to the point that a judge even issued arrest warrants for Scaglia, for which he has reportedly been held in contempt of court.
The ‘My Unorthodox Life’ Star Has The Last Laugh
Court documents obtained by Page Six show a judge finally dissolved the marriage and awarded 100% of the company to Haart. Not only did she get the company, but she also walked off with their $57 million Tribeca apartment.
The mom of four secured her victory by hiring a forensic accountant to comb through company records as part of the divorce and having her ex-husband’s assistant testify in the hearings.
With this, she was able to refute Scaglia’s claims that she stole company funds and flip the switch on him. According to court filings, Haart’s team presented evidence that the tech boss had transferred “tens of millions of dollars to various third parties and entities including payments to himself and his paramour Michelle Marie Heinemann.”
His accountant also told the court that “company funds were used to purchase various luxury automobiles, such as two Bentleys and a Porsche, as well as luxury jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels,” among other items.
The court’s ruling stated that Scaglia had transferred so much money from the company that it was worth as much as his shares “and then some”; thus, it was only fair to hand the rest of Elite Models over to the TV show star, giving her full ownership of the business.
Julia Haart Moved From Half To Full Ownership
“In 2022, Silvio claimed I owned zero percent; today, he owns zero percent, and I own 100 percent of EWG,” Haart said in a statement after expressing gratitude to the court for taking her side in the case.
Last year, a judge awarded her control of the firm despite her ex’s attempt to kick her off completely. The previous ruling granted her 50% ownership of Elite World Group and power of attorney.
The Blast previously reported that a judge awarded Haart a 50% ownership stake in Freedom Holding and granted her power of attorney over Scaglia’s remaining 50% interest. This ruling ensured the mom of four could make independent decisions about the company without needing her ex-husband’s approval.
The Entrepreneur Walked Away Millions Of Dollars Richer
In addition to getting her seat back in the company and her multi-million-dollar mansion, Haart was also awarded nearly $10 million in cash after Judge Jeffrey Pearlman granted her a default judgment in the divorce.
The funds came from a ruling regarding the penthouse, which was their matrimonial home throughout their four years of marriage. The judge awarded the Netflix show star a whopping $7.4 million in unpaid management fees for 2019 to 2021, as shared by The Blast.
The fashion designer also received half of the proceeds from the sale of a Kees Van Dongen painting, which Scaglia sold for approximately $2.97 million.
Pearlman also ruled that Haart would receive half of the funds Scaglia allegedly withdrew from the company, which, according to his former assistant, totals more than $25 million.
Inside Julia Haart And Silvio Scaglia’s Love Story
Scaglia and Haart met in the world of business. The pair first crossed paths in 2015 when her eponymous shoe brand collaborated with his lingerie brand, La Perla. They met again the following year, when Haart was hired to be La Perla’s creative director. That marked the beginning of their relationship, but only as colleagues.
The now-divorced pair moved from a professional relationship to friendship, which then evolved into something more, and three years later they tied the knot. Scaglia and Haart said I do on June 22, 2019, a day the fashion designer previously labeled the “happiest day” of her life.
According to Oprah Daily, the Italian billionaire often gushed about his love for Haart, describing her online as “a force of nature” whom he is in awe of. He even took her last name after they got married. They continued to work together as lovers and partners until 2022, when Haart decided to call it quits.
