'She left on her own accord': Sultan Muhammad V did not abandon Russian wife, lawyers say

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Days after the ex-wife of Sultan Muhammad V published a bombshell public interview with UK news outlet Daily Mail on social media, lawyers for the Sultan have refuted claims made by the former model that he abandoned her and did not give her a dime.

Law firm Eversheds Harry Elias said on Wednesday (Oct 9) that Rihana or Oksana Voevodina “left of her own accord to return to Russia”, although they did not indicate when this had happened.

Earlier in May, the Sultan had offered the beauty queen a “significant and generous sum of money” to cover her living expenses and medical bills, the statement added.

In return, he asked Rihana to “preserve and protect (his) privacy”.

However, the model rejected the offer, and informed that Sultan that “a UK tabloid was prepared to pay handsomely for her story”.

In addition, he had previously given her US$20,000 (RM84,000) while she was pregnant, and gifted her with luxury items including a Porsche Cayenne, a ring from jeweler Jacob Arabo, and other jewellery from Cartier, the statement said.

In her interview with the Daily Mail, Rihana had claimed that she was forced to sell her wedding ring at “three times less than its cost” to pay for treatment needed while pregnant with the Sultan’s child.

Business Insider has compiled a complete timeline of the drama surrounding the Sultan’s marriage.