MOSCOW, September 5 (RAPSI, Maria Petrova) - Moscow's Tushinsky District Court has rejected a lawsuit filed by the ex-wife of Arkady Rotenberg, who is widely viewed as one of Russia's most influential businessmen. The woman challenged the validity of their prenuptial agreement, Rotenberg's lawyer Philipp Ryabchenko told RAPSI.
Rotenberg divorced his wife Natalia last April through a court proceeding. She filed an appeal, but the court decision was upheld. The ruling took legal effect on August 2.
Natalia then challenged the validity of a prenuptial agreement. If her claim were to have been granted, she may have been entitled to half of the wealth Rotenberg has accrued since they got together, according to Ryabchenko.
The lawyer earlier expressed doubt that the agreement would be found void.
"The prenuptial agreement meets all the requirements of the legislation; was made on a notary form. There is no reason to declare it invalid," Ryabchenko said.
Lawyer Kira Voronkova who represents Rotenberg's ex-wife disagrees. "This agreement places Natalia into disadvantaged material position in comparison to Rotenberg after their divorce. Besides, they have two kids, and the court should take into consideration the interests of under-aged," she said earlier.
According to his profile on Forbes' list of billionaires, Rotenberg's net worth is valued at approximately $3.3 billion, as of March 2013. According to the profile, he began acquiring Gazprom subsidiaries, and then built them into Stroygazmontazh Corporation, a major construction contractor and one of Gazprom's biggest steel pipe suppliers.