A glamorous Russian socialite living in London has been detained in St Petersburg after allegedly seeking to bribe police to investigate her multi-millionaire ex-husband for financial crimes.

Anna Timohina, 43, who stars in a Russian pop video, was unhappy with her recent £11 million divorce settlement, according to reports.

She is accused of demanding police probe her former spouse banker Alexander Timohin, 48, and submitting a report over alleged illegal financial transactions as part of an illicit banking business involving secret offshore accounts.

Anna Timohina, 43, a Russian socialite living in London, has been arrested in St Petersburg for allegedly handing police $10,000 and asking them to investigate her ex-husband

Police say Ms Timohina (pictured with the director of a music video she appeared in) produced no evidence to support her claims and is now facing up to 11 years in jail

She passed an envelope containing $10,000 to a senior investigator in St Petersburg police, according to Fontanka news agency citing law enforcement sources.

Three hours later she was detained under Russia's anti-bribery laws which could lead to jail for between seven and 12 years.

Police said she produced no evidence of the allegations she made against her ex-husband.

Timohina has a daughter aged 14 and a son, five, who are believed to be at school in London where she is said to drive raspberry-colour Bentley Continental GT and black Rolls-Royce Phantom.

She is being held in detention for two months pending further investigations.

Ms Timohina (pictured with Russian pop star Anna Semenovich) lives in London with her two children where she drives a fleet of expensive cars

Mr Timohin is the owner of Zauber bank, as well as a printing business and a fashionable restaurant in Russia

He ex-husband, owner of Zauber bank, as well as a printing business and a fashionable restaurant in Russia, has not commented on the case.

The couple divorced last year in St Petersburg.

Timohina became known for her Instagram account which highlighted off her lavish lifestyle, posing for selfies on private jets and at fashionable eateries.

Access has been restricted to her social media since her detention.

She is friends with famous Russian singer Anna Semenovich, 38, a singer, actress, model and former ice dancer.

The pair starred in a music video released last year of Semenovich's song 'I want to be with you.'