The most expensive divorce in Wyoming history is complete now that a Sinclair oil heiress has chosen to make a more than $200 million payout, court documents indicate.
Anne Holding, an heiress whose family formerly owned Sinclair, has chosen to pay the more-than $200 million payment a Wyoming judge had ordered her to pay her ex-husband Christian Peterson to settle the divorce.
The choice ends Holding’s appeal challenging the order in the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Holding and Peterson, through their respective attorneys,informed the Wyoming Judicial system Tuesday that Holding has made a $202,581,208 equalization payment to Peterson.
Holding also paid off the interest that has been accruing since June 28 at a rate of $55,502 per day – coming to a total of about $4.6 million, according to a notice filed Tuesday in the Uinta County District Court and other court documents.
Holding is the daughter of the late Robert Earl Holding, who made a fortune running Little America, Sinclair Oil, and other businesses.
Turned Down $10 Million
Peterson filed for divorce in 2021 after he and his wife had been separated for years.
Holding proposed to pay Peterson $10 million, or $1 million a year for the rest of his life.
But after presiding over their divorce, state District Court Judge Suzannah Robinson ordered Holding to pay the more-than $200 million equalization payment.
“Although $10 million would be viewed as wildly fortunate to most Americans and Wyoming divorce litigants, this is not the question before the court,” Robinson wrote. “The question before the court is what is fair and equitable in this divorce with these parties.”
But Not Shares In Family Business
Holding disputed the order and later appealed it, saying that to make the payment, she’d have to sell off some of her share in her family business, REH, which would put her at a disadvantage compared to her siblings.
It was a concern Robinson had addressed. She specifically avoided giving half of Holding’s shares to Peterson, saying this would leave Holding’s siblings with more shares than she. But Robinson ordered Holding to summon half the value of the shares she inherited during their marriage to pay Peterson.
Holding protested the order further, saying she did not have the $200 million in liquid assets at the time and the 10% interest rate was too burdensome.
She appealed in May, and the case was scheduled for an Oct.17 oral argument.
But when Holding announced this week that she’d paid Peterson, the Wyoming Supreme Court dismissed the case.
Holding’s attorneys did not respond to a Cowboy State Daily request for comment by publication time Thursday.
Peterson’s attorney Farrah Spencer of Evanston law firm Long Reimer Winegar LLP, declined to comment.
Spencer and Weston Reeves argued the case on Peterson's behalf. Case documents also list Monica Vozakis as an attorney for Peterson.
Holding's attorneys were Kim Cannon and Cole Gustafson of Daivs and Cannon, of Sheridan.
Though the Holdings acquired much of their wealth through Sinclair, Holly Frontier bought the business in 2021.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
