Death benefit claimed by contingent

I recently found out that I was listed as the beneficiary of my friend’s life insurance policy as well as the rest of his estate. He had also listed his ex-wife as the contingent beneficiary. I had been transferred to Vienna in 2001 and I was stationed there till September 2011. I came back and found out that he had died and the ex wife had acquired all his assets including the death benefit from the policy. Is there any way to find out how everything went to the ex wife? Did she scam the insurance company into paying her the death benefit? As far as I know, the contingent beneficiary is entitled to the benefits only if the primary beneficiary is dead at the time the benefit is to be paid.