Elizabeth Cioffi-Petrakis

Elizabeth Cioffi-Petrakis

Millionaire's wife who won a lawsuit that overturned the terms of her prenuptial agreement
Country: USA

Content:
  1. Elizabeth Sioffi-Petrakis: From Divorce Battle to Business Success
  2. A Hard-Fought Victory
  3. A New Mission

Elizabeth Sioffi-Petrakis: From Divorce Battle to Business Success

Elizabeth Sioffi-Petrakis, a Long Island mother of three, became a true heroine for many after winning a landmark court case that overturned the terms of her prenuptial agreement. The 39-year-old wife of a millionaire developer, Peter Petrakis, could have lost everything in her divorce battles, but ultimately emerged victorious.

Elizabeth Cioffi-Petrakis

A Hard-Fought Victory

To win her case, Sioffi-Petrakis had to prove to the Long Island court that her husband had coerced her into signing the prenuptial agreement. She claimed that just four days before their wedding in 1998, Peter presented her with the contract, leaving little time for discussion. Elizabeth told the court that Peter promised her gifts, including their home in Old Brookville, NY, and assured her that the agreement would be voided once they had their first child.

However, twelve years later, after giving birth to twins and another child, Peter not only failed to transfer the house to Elizabeth but also refused to dissolve the contract, leaving her with virtually nothing. This marked the beginning of her years-long journey through various law firms to challenge the prenuptial agreement.

Finally, in January 2013, the court ruled in Sioffi-Petrakis' favor, successfully proving that Peter had deceived her into signing the contract. The court recognized that her former spouse "was not honest when making promises." Legal expert Vikki Ziegler, author of "The Pre-Marital Planner" on prenuptial planning, commented that many couples discuss future arrangements without putting them in writing, often leading to potential fraudulent schemes.

A New Mission

Supported by her parents throughout the legal battle, Elizabeth spent around $475,000 on attorney fees, while her husband paid over $600,000. However, their divorce proceedings were delayed due to the unresolved issue of the prenuptial agreement. Under such intense pressure, Elizabeth suffered a nervous breakdown that landed her in the hospital. She revealed, "I nearly lost my life due to depression and stress."

After the successful outcome of her case, Sioffi-Petrakis started her own business, launching the service "Divorce Prep Experts," to help others facing similar situations. Her mission is to provide support and protection to anyone who finds themselves in a similar position. Elizabeth's service offers invaluable advice and knowledge from judges, mediators, divorce specialists, and child psychologists, aiming to save clients time and money during the divorce process.

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