MIAMI — A Florida woman is suing her former husband, alleging he concealed information during divorce proceedings.
Zaina Matthiesen filed a lawsuit on Feb. 1 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Brian Matthiesen, a California resident, citing allegations of fraud by concealment, fraudulent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment.
Zaina Matthiesen and the defendant were married from 1987 until 2012 and have two children from their marriage. According to the complaint, Zaina Matthiesen discovered documents in 2015 that the defendant failed to include in the financial affidavit of marital assets, including a savings plan from his employer, Delta Airlines, a retirement plan, and lifetime flight passes from Delta. She claims that her former husband fraudulently misrepresented his assets to her detriment.
The plaintiff claims that the defendant took for granted a personal career sacrifice the plaintiff had made and retained the benefit of sole ownership of a majority of the marital assets, including the premarital home, due to his alleged fraudulent misrepresentation. The plaintiff alleges that she owned the premarital home prior to the marriage but was forced to relinquish it. She has filed a motion to rescind the marital settlement agreement in the dissolution of marriage proceedings.
Zaina Matthiesen seeks the deed to the premarital home and a payment to her in equity of the marital assets (in the event that damages do not provide adequate compensation) that were allegedly concealed. She is represented by Rafael A. Castro in Tallahassee, Florida.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:16-cv-20360-JEM