Developer Alex Sapir’s wife files for divorce, citing a “loveless” marriage

Yanina is seeking equitable distribution of their assets, which include waterfront Miami Beach estate

Alex and Yanina Sapir (Getty, Instagram, Illustration by Kevin Rebong for The Real Deal)
Alex and Yanina Sapir (Getty, Instagram, Illustration by Kevin Rebong for The Real Deal)

UPDATED, May 18, 1:26 p.m.: After nearly 12 years of marriage, another real estate couple is heading for divorce.

Yanina Sapir, the wife of developer Alex Sapir, filed for divorce in April, court records show.

The reason? “The wife can no longer remain in such a loveless relationship,” according to the complaint, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. They were married in Miami Beach in September 2010, and have two young children.

Alex Sapir is a son of the late Tamir Sapir, founder of the New York City-based Sapir Organization. Alex Sapir now heads the Sapir Organization, as well as Sapir Corp. In South Florida, he developed the nearly sold-out Arte condo project, an oceanfront boutique building in Surfside, north of Miami Beach.

In her divorce filing, Yanina Sapir seeks child support and alimony from Alex Sapir. Her lawyer, the prominent divorce attorney Andrew Leinoff, writes that Alex Sapir should support their minor children “based upon his significant earnings” and ability to provide for their kids “consistent with the lifestyle enjoyed by the parties during the course of the intact marriage.”

Yanina Sapir did not respond to a request for comment and her attorney, Leinoff declined to comment. Alex Sapir declined to comment through his lawyer, Jason Marks.

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The complaint paints a picture of that “incredible” lifestyle, where “money has been no object,” with multiple boats, one nanny, two housekeepers, another housekeeper and boat captain, and travels around the world to countries in Europe, Central America and Asia. Alex drives an Aston Martin while Yanina drives a Range Rover. They are also Burning Man enthusiasts, and have been photographed together on social media attending the Nevada festival multiple times.

As for their assets, Yanina is seeking equitable distribution. The couple lives in a waterfront modern mansion on the Venetian Islands in Miami Beach, and a trust in Yanina’s name paid $11.2 million for the adjacent home in December, according to property records. That home, built in 1994, was listed in May with broker Dora Puig for about $15 million and marketed as a teardown, according to Realtor.com.

The same trust paid $17.3 million for the couple’s estate next door in 2018. The six-bedroom, 7,300-square-foot home was developed by former Formula One driver turned spec home developer Eddie Irvine.

Their primary house is valued at $30 million, the complaint states, which is in line with the market today.

Alex Sapir has been tangled in litigation with his ex-brother-in-law, Rotem Rosen. Last fall, a federal judge dismissed a $100 million lawsuit that Sapir filed against Rosen, who was also his former real estate business partner. It alleged Rosen siphoned off tens of millions of dollars and stole trade secrets. The same judge allowed two of Rosen’s claims tied to his multimillion-dollar buyout agreement with Sapir to move forward.