US Man Sues Ex-Wife Over Villa Ownership in Sawangan, Highlighting Nominee Name Risks
A US citizen, Ronald Edward Lavoie, has filed an unlawful act (PMH) lawsuit against his ex-wife, identified by initials HCP, over a plot of land and villa in Sawangan, Bali. Although the land certificate (SHM) is registered under his ex-wife's name, Ronald claims he personally funded the purchase and construction, and the lawsuit was triggered after the property was advertised for sale without his consent.
In Denpasar, US citizen Ronald Edward Lavoie has filed an unlawful act (PMH) lawsuit against his ex-wife, identified by initials HCP, concerning a 35-are plot of land with a freehold certificate (SHM) and a villa built on it in the Sawangan area of Bali.
According to his lawyer, Pande Putu Maya Arsanti, this is not a marital asset division case but a response to the property being advertised for sale—listed with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, 1,500 sqm of land, 550 sqm of building, and a price of Rp 26 billion—without Ronald's consent.
The legal team states that Ronald leases roughly 5.06 hectares of land in Sawangan through a foreign investment (PMA) company until 2041, and that since foreign nationals cannot hold SHM certificates directly, the 35-are plot was registered under his ex-wife's name while he personally funded the purchase (approx. USD 507,170.74) and construction (approx. USD 448,414.69), backed by transaction documents presented by his team.
The couple reportedly signed a prenuptial agreement in 2020 establishing separation of assets. The dispute also involves the sale of a Toyota Fortuner purchased in 2013 and investment funds (approx. USD 183,894.66 between 2020-2025) in a water-related business, which Ronald's side claims were controlled by his ex-wife without proper profit sharing.
The legal team has requested the National Land Agency (BPN) block the land registration, and the property is now recorded as under dispute. The lawsuit seeks judicial review of the parties' legal relationships, evidence of purchase and construction funding, asset protection measures, and reimbursement of claimed funds. It should be noted that all financial details reported here are based solely on statements and documents presented by the plaintiff's legal team, and no court ruling on these claims has yet been made.
Things to Consider
Since foreign nationals cannot directly hold freehold (SHM) land certificates in Indonesia, using a spouse's or local partner's name as a nominee carries significant legal risk. Always retain originals and copies of payment records, contracts, and receipts for any property purchase or construction, and consider a prenuptial agreement before marriage to clarify asset ownership. Consult a local property law specialist in advance about legitimate ownership structures such as long-term leasehold (Hak Sewa) or PMA company arrangements.
Source: NUSABALI.com