From the New York Post, where you can read more on the story:
Simon Cowell is becoming a first-time dad with a married woman who targeted him for a paternity payday, her friends said yesterday — and now, her cuckolded husband is gunning for his own piece of the “X-Factor” host in fiery New York divorce papers.
Scheming social climber Lauren Silverman, 36, had pretended to treat Cowell as just a close friend as they yachted and hobnobbed together — only to blindside her unsuspecting husband, Andrew, 37, long after the affair was in full swing, sources say.
“It is an unbelievable story of betrayal. It is a sad story and a tragic story,” Andrew’s brother, Alexander, told The Post.
One friend of the shapely brunette said that the Silvermans “weren’t estranged. The suggestion that she was an estranged wife who fell into another man’s arms is not the case.”
In fact, Andrew, a real-estate developer, had been so oblivious to the sordid, under-his-nose affair that he recently upgraded Lauren’s engagement ring with a 10-karat diamond, a friend said.
“She is a total gold digger,” one pal said.
Another added, “The pregnancy was by design.”
Andrew is so livid, he’s seeking revenge on both Cowell and his straying wife — who is 10 weeks pregnant with Cowell’s baby. He’s taking the highly unusual step of embarrassing Cowell personally by naming him as a co-respondent in divorce papers, which were filed under the radar in Manhattan Supreme Court two weeks ago.
New York is a no-fault divorce state, but Andrew has filed for a fault divorce based on adultery.
That means Cowell, 53, risks being hauled to the witness stand to reveal his finances — he is said to be worth about $350 million — in addition to the sordid details of his affair with Silverman.
“It’s really a signal to the spouse who cheated that the wronged spouse is very angry and that it’s going to be a very nasty, scorched-earth, high-profile litigation,” said noted divorce attorney Martha Cohen Stine.
Another top matrimonial attorney agreed that the rare move was a pressure tactic.
“It’s very nasty,” said William Zabel, billionaire George Soros’ attorney. “I assume it’s to embarrass them and get them to settle.”
Cowell and Lauren Silverman had met on vacation seven years ago at the exclusive Sandy Lane resort in Barbados. Silverman dutifully introduced Cowell to her husband.
