$200M Divorce Battle: Iranian Heiress Accused of Hiding Family Assets to Block Husband’s California Claim

(Source: California Post)

An Iranian heiress is accused of hiding millions of dollars in assets from her husband in a $200 million divorce lawsuit, according to newly filed court documents in California.Setare “Star” Brar is the daughter of a late real estate tycoon and is said to have ties to the former Shah of Iran. She allegedly transferred control of her company, Star Pacific Properties, shortly after she separated from husband Ryan Aronin, a UCLA doctor.Court documents obtained by The California Post say Brar turned over control of the company to her brother, Sean Brar, in October 2024. Her husband said this was done to limit his access to marital assets.Ryan Aronin claims the property management company, valued at approximately $15 million, fell out of his wife’s direct control after the couple separated in March 2022. But Brar said they separated in April 2024.“Setare intentionally acted to reduce her earnings on paper and limit her access to capital,” the filing said, adding that her brother allegedly had “no ownership interest” in the company.Star Real Estate owns and operates two commercial buildings in the Los Angeles area, with tenants including Starbucks, Panda Express and 7-Eleven. These generate significant revenue every year.The dispute mainly involves the SYB Family Trust, which Aronin said is worth about $200 million and comes from Setareh Bral’s family.Aronen alleged that his estranged wife attempted to distance herself from the trust to reduce her reported income and avoid filing financial claims in the divorce.“She voluntarily relinquished her responsibility for managing the Shanghai Young Bakers Family Trust, possibly in an effort to distance herself from control of the discretionary trust distributions,” court documents said.He also claimed Brar continued to benefit from rental income associated with the trust. He cited an example in which she allegedly advertised a rental property in April 2026 for approximately $4,950 per month.According to the New York Post, social media posts showed Brar marketing a luxury two-bedroom apartment in West Los Angeles, writing: “Hello, my name is Setare and one thing you need to know is that I need a good tenant.”Court documents describe an opulent lifestyle during the marriage, including attending high-profile events in Los Angeles and living in a $6 million Beverly Hills home financed by a family trust. The couple married in 2014 and have two children.The case also includes allegations of hostile communications between the two, including one message in which Brar allegedly wrote: “People treat their dogs better than you treat me,” and surveillance footage showing her throwing her husband’s clothes off a balcony.Aronin claimed that Brar’s personal wealth was no less than $19 million, with potential annual income from trust investments in excess of $700,000.