Wife Battles Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Over $6.2 Billion Valuation in N.J. Divorce Case

Laura Overdeck, 56, has returned to court in New Jersey, escalating her divorce battle with estranged husband John Overdeck, 56, by seeking a greater portion of his fortune built through their investment firm, Two Sigma. She rejected a settlement offer exceeding $600 million, alleging that her husband 'schemed' to minimize her share of the assets.

Her legal team claims John Overdeck 'methodically and strategically' worked for years to isolate his wealth in anticipation of a divorce, arguing he purposefully concealed assets. Laura is pursuing 35 percent of the value of his stake in Two Sigma, a Manhattan-based hedge fund he co-founded with David Siegel in 2001, one year before their marriage without a prenuptial agreement.

The valuation of John's stake is a key point of contention, with his attorneys placing it at $4.5 billion, while Laura's side asserts it is worth $6.2 billion, making it a marital asset subject to division.

During a recent hearing before family court Judge Bruce Buechler in Newark, the couple debated the value of Two Sigma, which is reportedly valued at $80 billion. John Overdeck's legal team requested that the courtroom be cleared to protect company secrets during testimony from their financial expert, Todd Povlich. While the judge did not seal Povlich's entire testimony, he agreed that portions revealing trade secrets should be heard in private.

Judge Buechler expressed concern that Povlich's testimony might disclose sensitive information about Two Sigma's investments and future strategies. Povlich was expected to detail his valuation methodology for the firm and its 20 entities during the sealed portion of the hearing.

Laura Overdeck, who attended the public portions of the hearing, appeared actively engaged, conferring with her lawyers. John Overdeck, meanwhile, reportedly appeared detached, spending time on his cellphone while his lawyer questioned Povlich. This marked the 10th day of hearings in the divorce proceedings, which are believed to be the largest contested divorce case in New Jersey history.

Previously, Laura was barred from testifying by the judge, who accused her of hacking into John's computer, breaking into his post office box, and deleting evidence from her phone.

The court battle is expected to continue, with additional testimony scheduled later this month. Laura Overdeck filed for divorce in 2022, ending the couple's 20-year marriage, during which they had three children. They resided in Short Hills, New Jersey, with household staff.

John Overdeck's lawyers stated that he was prepared to offer his ex-wife $723 million in tax-free cash. However, Laura's attorneys argue this figure is insufficient and are seeking a larger stake in the fund. His legal team contends that Two Sigma is not a marital asset, as it was founded two years prior to their marriage. They noted that the company had already managed significant assets before their union.

Laura's legal team countered that Two Sigma was merely a 'concept' before the marriage and did not begin trading until after they were wed. The firm's value significantly increased during their marriage, with John Overdeck testifying that he grew it from under $1 billion to $80 billion over 25 years.

Beyond the stake in Two Sigma, Laura Overdeck is also seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in Treasury bonds held in a trust and shared control of the couple's family foundation. The foundation had $920 million in assets in 2024. If joint control is not granted, her lawyers propose that John Overdeck transfer 50 percent of its value to a charity of her choosing.

John Overdeck previously worked at DE Shaw & Co., where he assisted Jeff Bezos in launching Amazon. He recently purchased a waterfront property in Palm Beach, Florida, for $72 million, where he resides with his current girlfriend. Laura Overdeck, a graduate of Princeton University and Wharton School, founded Bedtime Math, a non-profit organization focused on teaching math to children.