Russia’s Richest Man Could Lose Half his Fortune
What is the biggest threat against the fortune of a very wealthy Russian? Stock prices dropping? The declining Ruble? Political problems turning up international heat?How about love?
Although Vladimir Potanin is the wealthiest of all the very wealthy men in Russia, he may lose his claim to fame because of his former lady love. After 30 years of wedded bliss and the shared parenthood of three children, Potanin decided to call it quits with his former wife Natalia Potanina. Although the divorce was concluded in 2014, the financial side of things have proven to be challenging.
Vladimir offered his ex-wife a settlement of US$49 million and a monthly alimony payment of US$250,000 on top of several properties in the Russia, the US and the UK. Natalia declined, stating that his offer was no less than offensive, after 30 years of married life. She also claimed that she loved her ex-husband very much and that the divorce was a terrible blow.
Hell Hath no Fury
Natalia Potanina launched a venomous legal attack against the billionaire, demanding a much larger settlement of half of his wealth – reported to be around US$15 billion. According to Natalia, she deserves the substantial fortune because Russian law dictates that all wealth that was accumulated between saying the ‘I dos’ and the split, should be divided in half. Her petition was lodged at the Presnensky District Court in Moscow last year and includes a claim of half of Vladimir’s 30% share of Norilsk Nickel. With an estimated market value of US$30 billion, Norilsk is the largest nickel producer in the world.
Vladimir Says his Offer is ‘More Than Enough’
Despite the legal battle stretching as far as the US, Vladimir Potanin insists that his initial offer is more than generous. Natalia told the media that she felt that she had to involve the foreign courts so that two Americans can testify about how much money Vladimir is supposedly hiding away offshore. The two witnesses are rumoured to be executives from New York but they have not been named as yet. The court hearing is scheduled to start on the 1st of July in Russia.