A billionaire hedge fund executive spent years arranging his finances to protect his fortune in the event his marriage collapsed, a court has been told.
Lawyers for Laura Overdeck, 56, alleged that her estranged husband, John Overdeck, 56, devised a plan to leave her with as little as possible as their high-stakes divorce trial began earlier this week.
Proceedings opened Wednesday before New Jersey Superior Court Judge Bruce Buechler, with Bloomberg reporting from the courtroom on what is considered the largest contested divorce in the state’s history.
In opening statements, Laura’s legal team accused John of acting “methodically and strategically” over decades to shield his wealth from a potential divorce settlement.
They argued that he “schemed” to limit what Laura would receive, saying the amount offered to her was $633 million.
Attorneys for John, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $8 billion, countered that he is prepared to pay his estranged wife $723 million in tax-free cash.
According to the outlet, the central dispute is whether Laura should receive a larger payout based on the value of John’s ownership stake in Two Sigma, the investment firm he co-founded.
Laura is asking for 35 percent of the value of his stake in the company, which her lawyer said would amount to $6.2 billion. John’s attorneys disputed that valuation, saying the figure would be $4.9 billion.
John Overdeck, 56, schemed to leave his wife Laura, 56, with as little as possible, her lawyers claimed
John has an estimated net worth of $8 billion according to Forbes, he and his estranged wife lived in a $4million New Jersey mansion
His lawyers have said that the firm is not a marital asset while adding that it was founded two years before they wed in 2002.
John’s lawyer Jonathan Wolfe said: ‘The company had done substantial work and managed hundreds of millions of dollars before the parties’ marriage.’
Her lawyer Therese Lyons countered that the company was just a ‘concept’ then and that it only started trading after they were wed.
The company grew exponentially during their marriage, John took the stand on Wednesday saying he had grown it from under $1 billion in 2001 to now $80 billion.
Lyons claimed that as well as managing the firm with his partner he also ‘worked tirelessly’ to hide assets from his wife.
She accused him of ‘planning his escape’ during their marriage, and accused him of a ‘scheme’ to strip billions out of their marital estate.
She said: ‘John Overdeck is not a man who woke up one morning and decided to divorce his wife.’
Wolfe said that John earned $685 million during their marriage, all of which was held in a joint bank account. Prior to their marriage, John had already made billions, he added.
Lawyers for his wife claimed that as well as managing the firm with his partner he also ‘worked tirelessly’ to hide assets from his wife
The couple alongside the Governor of Maryland Wes Moore in 2019
The New York City headquarters for Two Sigma, which John co-founded with David Siegel
Prior to co-founding Two Sigma with David Siegel, he had worked at DE Shaw & Co, an investment firm, and also helped Jeff Bezos launch Amazon.
Wolfe said that John’s offer to his estranged wife was ‘more than enough to meet the needs of the parties’ marital lifestyle’.
Laura is also now seeking hundreds of millions in treasury bonds that are held in a trust, as well as a court order handing her equal control of their family foundation.
Failing that order, her lawyers have asked the court to have John give 50 percent of the value of their foundation to a charity of her choosing.
According to a tax filing in 2024 seen by Bloomberg, their family foundation has assets in it totaling $920 million.
Laura holds a degree in astrophysics from Princeton University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.
She also founded and oversees a nonprofit called Bedtime Math that helps parents teach math to their kids.
