Supermodel In Court

Updated Friday May 4, 9.03am: Linda Evangelista is set to testify in court in Manhattan today as she goes head to head with the father of her son Augustin over child support. The child's father - French billionaire PPR chief, Francois-Henri Pinault - took the stand yesterday, and admitted that he told the supermodel that he didn't want to raise the child with her, before ending the relationship after she decided to have the child anyway.

"She told me that if I didn't want to be involved in raising the kid or stay together and be parents together, she would understand," Pinault said. "I told her that . . . I will take my responsibility." When asked to explain why he hadn't paid Evangelista any child support for the first years of his now five-year-old son's life, Pinault was unrepentant. "She didn't ask and I didn't offer," he said, the New York Daily News reports. Evangelista - who is said to be worth around $8 million - has applied for $46,000 per month in child support to cover her son's expenses. Pinault is the heir to a $11.5 billion publishing fortune. Francois-Henri Pinault in court this week as they attempt to agree child support for their five-year-old son Augustin.

The case at a Manhattan family court is expected to last four days and, if the supermodel's request is granted, could see Evangelista leave with more than $1,500 (£925) a day - $807,000 (£500,000) a year - for full-time childcare, and armed guards for her son's protection. Lawyers familiar with the city's family court told the New York Daily News today that payments for child support are generally based on the cost of raising a child, rather than the parents' incomes - meaning that it seems unlikely that the $46,000 (£28,000) per month payout for Evangelista will be granted.









 LAUREN MILLIGAN 04 May 2012
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2011/07/04/linda-evangelista-baby-father-pinault---salma-hayek-husband