Çiğdem Sabancı filed for divorce from her husband Faruk Bilen after 27 years of marriage. The court process was quite contentious.

Faruk Bilen expressed that he did not want a divorce, while demanding 2 million euros for each year of their marriage. He sought a total of 54 million euros in compensation.

The Istanbul 17th Family Court rejected Faruk Bilen's request for 54 million euros in compensation. Instead, it ruled that Bilen must pay Çiğdem Sabancı 500,000 TL in compensation.

Çiğdem Sabancı announced that she would donate the compensation she received to TEV for the qualified education of young girls. This move is seen as an effort to provide societal benefit following the divorce process.