That didn’t take long.
We informed readers in a May 3 blog post of the just-begun child support trial in a family court in New York City featuring billionaire French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault and his one-time girlfriend and longtime super model Linda Evangelista.
It was over scarcely after it began, with both sides apparently not too willing to turn their dispute into a dragged-out courtroom battle. The two sides reached a settlement in the matter prior to Evangelista’s continued testimony scheduled for this past Monday.
“Everyone is very glad that it’s over,” said a Pinault spokesperson.
No public information was provided concerning the details of the couple’s agreement, although persons close to the matter agree that Pinault would end up paying a considerable amount.
The couple’s son, now 5 years old, was the product of a brief liaison, and Pinault recognized the child as his son in 2007. Evangelista initially asked for what Pinault stated was an unreasonable amount of money for the son’s upkeep, and she in turn stated that Pinault’s counter offer was too low. That prompted the couple to go to court.
Evangelista told the court that she was spending about $46,000 each month on bodyguards, a nanny and other expenses, which she considered a reasonable amount to ask from Pinault, given his family’s estimated net worth of $12 -$13 billion.
“We are not going to claim that he cannot pay a fair and reasonable child support,” said a Pinault representative, who added, though, that the amount Evangelista was asking for was “just ridiculous.”
It wouldn’t be record setting, though, and others in divorce and child support cases in New York have paid large amounts while making far less than Pinault. Rap star and business mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, for example, was ordered by a court to pay $19,000 a month in a 2005 child support case
Source: “Bloomberg, “Model, billionaire settle NYC child support fight,” Jennifer Peltz, May 7, 2012