The Advisory Chamber of Monaco’s Court of Appeal convened on Thursday, December 5, to review the validity of the investigation in the long-running Rybolovlev-Bouvier case. The high-profile legal battle, which began in 2015 and has drawn international attention, may reach its conclusion on February 27, 2025, when the court is expected to issue a final decision.

The case originated when Dmitry Rybolovlev, Russian billionaire and President of AS Monaco, accused Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier of defrauding him of one billion dollars through inflated sales of artwork. What started as a private dispute expanded into a global legal saga spanning multiple jurisdictions. In 2016, the case took a new turn in Monaco with an invasion of privacy complaint filed by Tania Rappo, a mutual acquaintance of the two men. The complaint centred on a recorded conversation involving Rappo, Rybolovlev, and his lawyer, Tetiana Bersheda. The recording, aimed at implicating Rappo as Bouvier’s accomplice, was voluntarily handed over by Bersheda for authentication, leading to an expansive investigation by Monaco’s examining magistrate, Édouard Levrault.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in June 2023 that the handling of Bersheda’s phone violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It criticised the investigation for its excessive scope and lack of judicial oversight, significantly undermining the case. Following this ruling, Swiss authorities dropped proceedings against Rybolovlev in October.

During the December 5 hearing, Rybolovlev’s legal team called for the case’s dismissal, asserting their client had been “unjustly charged.” They urged Monaco’s judiciary to fully comply with the ECHR’s findings and disregard the disputed evidence.

If the Advisory Chamber rules to exclude the phone evidence, it could mark the end of nearly a decade of litigation. A confidential settlement between Rybolovlev and Bouvier in 2023 resolved their financial dispute, leaving these legal proceedings as the final unresolved aspect. Recent rulings, including the dismissal of invasion of privacy charges against Rybolovlev in November 2023 and Bersheda’s acquittal in March, suggest a resolution may be near. The court’s decision in February 2025 will determine whether this protracted and contentious legal battle finally concludes.

Image by Jack Brodie