[imagesource: Property24]

For the past five years, Preston Haskell, the son of a Texan construction mogul of the same name, has been involved in an increasingly messy divorce.

On the other side of the ring is model Alesia Vladimirovna Haskell, with the case now reaching the Court of Appeal in London.

At this stage, I am on board with anybody who can’t summon a single iota of caring, but there is a South African connection.

Before we get to that, details on the messy divorce via The Daily Mail:

Judges heard that the son who hosted parties for Elton John, Madonna and Cheryl Cole had himself amassed a fortune in property, restaurants and international business…

Mr Haskell was ordered to pay Alesia [the duo above, in happier times] £5.8million after their 13-year marriage ended in 2016. The first installment was due in February 2020, but when he failed to pay a High Court judge has jailed him for six weeks if he ever returns to the UK.

Alesia says Preston was guilty of serial infidelity and cocaine and alcohol abuse during their marriage, and decried the High Court’s ruling, saying it would little effect on him because he has no plans to return to the UK.

Now for the South African connection.

Preston owns Haskell Vineyards on the slopes of the Helderberg mountain range in Stellenbosch, which he bought in 2002.

He also owns a mansion in Cape Town, which the judge called “an outstanding property with views over the ocean”, as well as a property in Jozi.

Preston told the judge that he is in a terrible financial position and couldn’t make the required payment, saying “I have no money at all.”

Perhaps that’s why his Fresnaye mansion is currently listed on Property24 for a cool R120 million.

Let’s take a stroll around the premises:

Designed by renowned architect, Marvin Farr, this unique Fresnaye home is bound to impress.

The property features 9 bedrooms, 9.5 bathrooms, multiple formal and informal living areas, a dramatic dine-in wine cellar for 20 people, a gym, sauna, and an expansive outside entertainment area with a lush garden, a large pool, bar area and a private tennis court.

Properties of this calibre rarely becomes available. This luxury home has it all.

Rumour has it Preston used to throw some rather rowdy parties at this property, and once you entered these doors, no expense was spared:

Preston’s sizeable asset portfolio extends well beyond our borders:

Other overseas interests include a stake in a Swedish gold exploration company, part of a building in Kiev, land in Crimea, part of a business in Romania, and an elegant property in the Swedish Archipelago complete with a motor yacht.

When ruling that he has the means to pay Alesia the £5,8 million, Justice Mostyn pointed to recent social media posts from Preston where he spoke about having a beautiful year and posed with a £400 bottle of vintage red wine.

Gotta get those likes, even if it costs you in the long run.

You can read more about the legal wrangling in that divorce row here.

[sources:dailymail&property24]