Preston Haskell III is the founder and chairman of the largest privately-held construction business in in Florida Texan multimillionaire Preston Haskell IV, son of Florida construction mogul Preston Haskell III, earned a degree in economics at the University of Southern California. He then moved to Russia where in 1992 he started the Haskell International Group working in property. Although the company initially dealt with real estate investment and property management by 1997 it operated restaurants and a furniture manufacturing company. He bought a 57-acre vineyard in 2002 in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town in South Africa and turned it into a winery, restaurant and guest accommodation under the name Haskell Vineyards. In 2003 he met his future wife Alesia in Moscow and the pair got married in 2008. They moved to London where they had a rented £3.3million apartment in Sloane Street. And Mr Haskell came to the attention of the British public in 2013 when he put in an unsuccessful buyout bid for Coventry City FC and their stadium, the Ricoh Arena. At the time Mr Haskell said: 'The agreement is on condition that I am allowed to purchase Coventry City once the administration process is completed.' And he was spotted getting on a private jet with football executive Ken Bates who had a hand in the development of Wembley Stadium. Mr Bates purchased Chelsea FC for just £1 in 1982. He then sold the club for £18million to Roman Abramovic in 2003. He went on to become honorary president of Leeds United but was fired in 2013, allegedly over a dispute about payment for his private jet. A judge found that Mr Haskell's finances were 'opaque' and noted the string of businesses and properties he owns - or is linked to - around the world. These included a South African winery and a 'magnificent' £6.5million villa in Cape Town, plus another high-end villa in Johannesburg. 'The villa in Cape Town is an outstanding property with views over the ocean,' added the judge. Mr Haskell had complained that he was in a dire financial position and was unable to get his hands on cash, telling the judge: 'I have no money at all.' The real estate boss - once reputedly worth £160million - claimed to have 'liabilities' of £50million and to be struggling to meet his maintenance commitments. However, Mr Justice Mostyn decided Mr Haskell could get his hands on sufficient funds to pay his ex £5.8million to conclude their divorce. Other overseas interests include a stake in a Swedish gold exploration company, part of a building in Kiev, land in Crimea, part of a business in Romania, and an elegant property in the Swedish Archipelago complete with a motor yacht. He also highlighted social media posts from Mr Haskell in which he was shown speaking about his 'beautiful year' and posing with a £400 bottle of vintage red wine. The claim Mr Haskell has 'no money' has however been disputed by his ex-wife's barrister, Alexander Knight, who told a judge he still has access to 'substantial sums', including a trust fund valued at around £22million. The High Court heard that Mr Haskell had renounced his United States citizenship and become a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis, and Sweden. However it is believed Mr Haskell has been in the USA during parts of the High Court hearing and Appeal case. Mr Haskell's father, born in Birmingham, Alabama, is the founder and chairman of the largest privately-held construction business in in Florida - The Haskell Company. He was also a minority owner of the National Football League Jacksonville Jaguars. After graduating in 1956 from Indian Springs School, he went to Princeton and received a civil engineering degree with honours in 1960 before going on to receive an MBA with distinction from Harvard in 1962 and attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was after he left MIT and started working at S.S. Jacobs Company that he was encouraged to break out on his own and create the Preston H. Haskell Company. The business got its first project in 1965 and successfully designed and built a $1million apartment complex at Atlantic Beach. The company steadily grew and is today recognised as one of the top firms in the US. Mr Haskell received the Engineering News Record Southeast’s 2020 Legacy Award. All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility