Bartholomew Gold, a former partner at the City law firm Fieldfisher, died in December 2020 at the age of 43 without leaving a will.
Under the rules of intestacy in England and Wales, his estate should have been divided between his widow Phikul Harte, 43, and his teenage son from his earlier marriage to Marsha Gomez, 49.
However, following the sale of Gold’s £2 million seafront home in Langstone, Hampshire, a sum of £434,134 was mistakenly transferred to Gomez’s account in early 2024.
Harte, who previously worked as a Thai masseuse, claims the money was then spent before it could be returned. She has accused Gomez of dissipating and misappropriating the funds.
The dispute is now before Central London County Court, where Harte is seeking an order to freeze Gomez’s assets after she failed to comply with a judge’s earlier instruction to repay the money.
According to Harte’s legal team, the funds were spent on speculative investments, mortgage repayments, debt payments, gifts to unknown third parties and various other expenses, including home improvements such as double glazing.
Gomez has acknowledged receiving the money and confirmed that £275,000 was invested in shares in her son’s name, although the investment failed.
She told the court that the remaining £160,000 had been spent, gifted or used to cover legal fees estimated at between £30,000 and £40,000. As a result, she said the money is no longer readily available for repayment.
Gold, an intellectual property specialist, had divorced Gomez before marrying Harte. The couple lived together in a seven bedroom seafront property known as Bartholomew House, which featured a spa and a private boathouse.
Harte’s barrister, Emma Germany, told the court that a freezing injunction was necessary because there remained a real and continuing risk that further assets could be dissipated before the funds were repaid.
She argued that Gomez had spent estate funds she knew she was not entitled to and had repeatedly failed to disclose assets despite court orders.
Representing Gomez, barrister Suleman Shams said the injunction was excessive and unsupported by evidence that she was attempting to hide or dispose of assets.
He told the court that the order had significantly disrupted Gomez’s personal and financial life, forcing her to restrict her weekly living expenses to £500.
Shams also said Gomez was attempting to resolve the matter by liquidating parts of her property portfolio, including a house valued at about £1.1 million in Haringey, London.
He added that Gomez intends to pursue a separate claim against Gold’s estate for alleged debts she says were owed to her, which she believes could offset a substantial portion of the disputed amount.
The judge, Alan Johns KC, has reserved judgment.
