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Linda Evangelista and her billionaire ex François-Henri Pinault kiss and make up in child support row

 

David Usborne
Wednesday 09 May 2012 12:50 BST
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The briefly titillating court battle over how large a fortune French luxury goods billionaire François-Henri Pinault should be paying to supermodel Linda Evangelista monthly to support the child they had together came to a quiet and discreet end yesterday as both sides delivered settlement details to the judge.

What had promised to be a feast for New York's tabloid headline writers ended prematurely when Mr Pinault and Ms Evangelista emerged from Manhattan's family court together late on Monday chatting amiably after unexpectedly agreeing to a truce. The details of the settlement submitted for the judge's review last night would not be made public, both sides confirmed.

Lawyers for Ms Evangelista, 46, had opened hostilities last week demanding that Mr Pinault, whom she met in 2005 and dated for barely four months before the relationship ended, pay her $46,000 (£28,000) a month to look after the son she bore him, Augustin, now aged five. The money, it seemed, was what she required for full-time nanny care. Augustin allegedly also requires bodyguards and chauffeurs.

Early going in the trial was not flattering to Mr Pinault, who could not remember what he had given his son by Ms Evangelista for his fourth birthday and had to admit to buying him a "piano thing" the year before while he had spent $100,000 on a watch for himself. He was also obliged to concede that he hadn't even known the super model "very well" when she became pregnant by him.

The court also heard that he had put his $12m Los Angeles home in trust for the daughter Valentina, born to his current wife, the Mexican star Salma Hayek. The implication from the Evangelista team was that a similar arrangement was due Augustin, known to his mother as Augie.

While it appeared that Mr Pinault, 49, whose empire includes brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, had made concessions, sources close to him were cited as saying that the agreed monthly payment to Ms Evangelista would be "nowhere near $46,000 a month".

That sum had struck legal observers from the outset as ambitious. The record for a child support settlement in New York is currently held by Sean (P. Diddy) Combs who hands over $19,000 a month for his son, Justin. Ms Evangelista, a native of Canada, who is rarely on the catwalk nowadays, is said to be worth $8m herself. Mr Pinault is heir to a family estate valued at roughly $11.5 bn.

"Everyone is glad for the sake of the child that it's done," said David Aronson, Mr Pinault's lawyer.

Pay up: Support acts

Charlie Sheen

As part of his 2011 divorce settlement from Brooke Mueller, Sheen had to pay $55,000 a month for the support of their twin sons.

Sean (P. Diddy) Combs

The rap impresario was ordered in 2005 to pay about $19,000 a month to former girlfriend Misa Hylton-Brim for the care of their son Justin.

Britney Spears

In July 2008, after her erratic behaviour landed her in hospital, the singer reached a settlement with ex-husband Kevin Federline to pay him $20,000 a month in child support. AP

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