Russian Billionaire Being Sued By Estranged Wife For $88-Million NY Penthouse

NEW YORK (AP) -- A Russian billionaire's estranged wife is suing him over the most expensive Manhattan apartment sale in history: the reported $88 million purchase of sprawling penthouse on Central Park West.

Elena Rybolovleva filed suit Wednesday in Manhattan. She wants a court to bar Dmitry Rybolovlev from transferring the property into any other ownership and potentially putting it out of reach in their ongoing divorce.

A lawyer for Rybolovlev didn't immediately return a call.

A company associated with Rybolovlev's college-student daughter bought former Citigroup Inc. head Sanford Weill's apartment last month. Family representatives said the daughter planned to stay there sometimes.

The wife's lawyer, David Newman, says Rybolovlev paid for the apartment, defying a Swiss court order not to liquidate various assets while the divorce plays out.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)