MOSCOW, June 19 (RAPSI) – On June 23, a magistrate court will hear a lawsuit filed by Norilsk Nickel CEO Vladimir Potanin, who has asked the court to change the alimony procedure in favor of his underage son, his former spouse’s lawyer told RAPSI on Wednesday.

“Potanin wants to the court to limit the right of his former spouse, Natalya, to control the alimony by transferring 50% of the monthly payments to his son’s account until he comes of age,” said Filipp Ryabchenko.

According to the lawyer, Potanin writes in the suit that he pays 25% of his $1 million monthly income in alimony monthly, which is clearly more than his son needs. He believes that the money is not being used in his best interests.

Potanin also writes that his ex-spouse has initiated litigation against him in foreign courts, alleging that she uses the alimony to pay her attorneys.
Under the Russian Family Code, child support should be enough to maintain the child’s former living standards.

The lawyer argued that the alimony is not enough to cover all of the child’s expenses, and Potanin is fully aware of this. “His lawsuit has nothing in common with his son’s interests and is designed to pressure Natalya through a Russian court, which has refused to accept her legal arguments,” Filipp Ryabchenko said.

Vladimir Potanin’s divorce from his wife, Natalya Potanina, became final in February. Potanin is worth $14.5 billion. His company, Interros, is a conglomerate headquartered in Moscow with interests that include mining (in particular, 30% of Norilsk Nickel), finance, agriculture, tourism, energy, retail and real estate.

Potanin has a reputation for philanthropy and endorsed Bill Gates’ and Warren Buffet’s “Giving Pledge” promising to give a significant portion of his net worth to the poor in undeveloped countries.

Natalya Potanina’s lawyers claim the billionaire’s charitable donations are only intended to hide his wealth and deprive his wife of her share. 
Potanina is struggling to locate her husband’s assets so that she can obtain a court order for half of them, in accordance with Russian family law.