Iranian heiress accused of hiding millions amid messy $200m divorce battle

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - New court documents allege that Setareh "Star" Bral, an Iranian heiress engaged in a contentious $200 million divorce with UCLA physician Dr. Ryan Aronin, strategically relinquished control of her property management company to protect assets from the proceedings.

According to filings, Bral reportedly signed away control of Star Pacific Properties, a company valued at approximately $15 million, shortly after the couple's separation. The firm, which manages commercial real estate with high-profile tenants like Starbucks and 7-Eleven, is now allegedly controlled by her brother, Sean Bral. Dr. Aronin contends this move was a deliberate attempt to reduce her income on paper and restrict his access to marital funds.

The central point of the legal dispute is the SYB Family Trust, established by Bral’s late father, a real estate mogul who moved to Los Angeles from Iran in 1979.

While Dr. Aronin alleges that Bral is worth at least $19 million and could earn $700,000 annually in interest from the trust, Bral has claimed in court that she abdicated her responsibilities to the trust. However, recent motions filed by Aronin suggest Bral continues to benefit from the estate.

The doctor pointed to social media posts from April 2026 where Bral advertised a trust-related luxury apartment for lease near UCLA for nearly $5,000 per month, stating in the caption, “Hello I’m Setareh and something you don’t know about me is that I need a good tenant.”

The legal battle has exposed deep personal animosity between the pair, who married in 2014 and shared a $6 million Beverly Hills home.

Evidence presented in court highlights a significant financial disparity, as Dr. Aronin, who earns a base salary of $190,000 at UCLA, claims to have spent over $290,000 on legal fees thus far.

Hostile text message exchanges show Bral telling Aronin that “people treat their dogs better than you treat me,” while surveillance footage stills appear to show Bral throwing the doctor's clothing off a second-floor balcony

Surveillance footage stills appear to show Bral throwing the doctor's clothing off a second-floor balcony.

While Bral requested to delay future hearings until September, a judge denied the motion, and the two are scheduled to continue their legal face-off in a Los Angeles courtroom this June.