Australian sportsman flees country to avoid paying wife

A former elite Australian sportsman is facing jail after he fled the country to avoid paying his wife her share of assets, worth over $343,000.

The Family Court in Melbourne has issued an arrest warrant for 'Mr Nhan' - a court given pseudonym - for defying orders not to sell off the couple's assets.

After the seven-year marriage between Mr Nhan and 'Ms Okien' ended last year, the once-famous sportsman liquidated the assets and sent the money offshore.

The man, in his mid-30s, is now believed to be living in Asia and faces 18 months behind bars, the Herald Sun reports.

Ms Okien had applied to the court to order her husband to pay her $343,262, as well as being dealt a contempt of court for deliberately defying court orders.

Justice Paul Cronin was satisfied that Mr Nhan was aware of the order, despite not attending, as the former sportsman sent two text messages to his 'gold-digging' wife the day after legal papers were emailed.

The messages take aim at Ms Okien for being driven by fame and money.

'I chose to ignore several people who warned me of the true reason you were with me,' the message reads.

'What I love about this process is that it has finally exposed the real 'wife' and the true reason why you pretended to love me all these years; for a bit of fame and money.

'Happy birthday to my sl*t, wh**e, gold-digging wife! Hope you enjoy your present! Love your ruthless husband!'

Mr Nhan also said 'all the best finding a guy who will give you $343,262'.

The sportsman had previously listed his assets to the court as far less than he owned and transferred the money to a 'Ms C', claiming he owed her $500,000.

While the court ordered Ms C to return the money to a trust, to be held until settlement, the money had not turned up nearly five months later.

Justice Cronin accepted the couple's assets were in excess of half a million dollars.

As a result, Justice Cronin ordered Mr Nhan to pay his wife the money she sought, as well as her $19,309 legal costs.

However, the court also noted Ms Okien would likely not receive any money from her husband as he demonstrated blatant breaches of court authority.