Linda Evangelista Child-Support Case Turns Ugly

Linda Evangelista's child support battle against French billionaire -- and husband of Salma Hayek -- Francois-Henri Pinault is not starting out very pretty, as evidenced by the first court date of their trial that kicked off Thursday in Manhattan Family Court. The 46-year-old model is claiming that the French billionaire suggested she abort son Augustin when she told him she was pregnant, and is now asking for $46,000 a month in child support payments to help care for her five year old.

Pinault, who also has 4-year-old daughter Valentina with Hayek, is denying that he ever told Evangelista to terminate her pregnancy, but did say that he told her he wanted nothing to do with the baby. He also acknowledged that he ended their four-month-long relationship because Evangelista got pregnant.

"I asked her what was her intention with the pregnancy. I was not involved in the decision of having babies," Pinault, 49, said when he took the stand Thursday, according to The New York Post. "We were dating four months and I didn't even know her very much." He added that he did agree to "recognize the baby."

According to Evangelista's lawyer, she responded by saying "she would support the child herself since he had made it perfectly clear to her that he had no interest in doing so," and she has for the past five years. But since Evangelista's contract as the face of L'Oreal was terminated in 2011, she's looking to Pinault to help supplant the income so she can treat Augustin to a "reasonable lifestyle."

The $46,000 a month would account for $15-$16,000 a month for ex-NYPD detective chauffers and a 24-hour nanny that would cost $7,000 a month. Pinault's legal team has countered by saying a large portion of that money will go towards Evangelista, and not her son.

"These people have more money than a lot of people," Pinault's lawyer countered. "But our position is that what we understand is being asked for is just ridiculous."

Pinault is worth over $3 billion dollars, in addition to an almost $5 million annual income. Evangelista was making $1.8 million a year before her contract with L'Oreal was terminated. Evangelista's lawyer stated that Augustin deserves a comparable lifestyle to what Pinault spends on his daughter, Valentina.

Pinault spends $50,000 a month alone on the taxes, upkeep and loan payments required for the $12 million Los Angeles home he has put aside for when Valentina comes of age, the Post reports.

Evangelista was due to testify Friday, and the trial will continue through Monday and Tuesday.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/linda-evangelista-child-support-case-turns-ugly/1-a-451839

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