Connecticut Couple’s Divorce Far Less Than Amicable; Ex-wife Left Holding the Bills
After three years of a bitter divorce battle, a Connecticut man, Richard Shenkman, allegedly kidnapped his ex-wife, Nancy Tyler, holding her at gunpoint and burning down their former home. He also allegedly burned down Ms. Tyler’s beach house two years earlier. Mr. Shenkman had been ordered by the divorce court to turn the home over to his ex-wife and to pay her $100,000 for legal fees. He reportedly told police that he kidnapped his wife and burned down the home because he was afraid he was going to be held in contempt of court for not paying the settlement as required.
Ms. Tyler is currently unable to rebuild her beach home, because Shenkman has filed a civil lawsuit claiming that he is entitled to half of the homeowner’s insurance settlement, even though Ms. Tyler was granted the property in the divorce. Her attorneys asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, which it did, but Shenkman immediately appealed the decision. Ms. Tyler will be unable to collect any money until the matter is settled. In the meantime, Ms. Tyler is required to continue paying the mortgage, taxes and insurance on the now vacant lot.
She has attempted to sell her other property, but since Shenkman had let the homeowner’s policy lapse, she must pay off the mortgage, taxes and insurance before the property can change hands. Even though the couple had paid off the mortgage during their marriage, Ms. Tyler learned during the divorce that her husband had taken an equity line of credit on the home and then stopped paying it. With the principal and fees the balance is now $100,000. Shenkman had also stopped paying the property taxes, meaning that Ms. Tyler owes the town $32,000 in back taxes.
Shenkman has been found in contempt of court and ordered by a judge to pay Ms. Tyler nearly $180,000 for legal and other fees, and will be held in custody until he does so. You can read more about this less than amicable divorce by visiting Shenkman's former wife trying to dig her way out of divorce debt.
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