No Need to Make a Big Tragedy Out of It: Rotenberg on London Court Ruling

Earlier reports emerged stating that the High Court in London had issued a ruling to arrest Natalia Rotenberg for refusing to pay her divorce lawyers and for not appearing in court. The latter's office released a statement which we present below.

"In response to media reports, we inform that Natalia Rotenberg divorced her first husband, Arkadi Rotenberg, in 2013. In 2016, both parties signed a reconciliation agreement regarding family assets, but after some time, the former husband changed his mind, subsequently prolonging the court process. The law firm that filed a claim against Natalia Rotenberg defended its position in court for merely 1 day (1.5 hours in court); she has never personally met with them and is not familiar with them. The only work they performed was to request the court to reschedule to another day. They have not presented the case in any court or hearings since. This was a one-time service for which the lawyers demanded over £100,000. Natalia Rotenberg disagreed with the amount as it does not correspond to the services rendered.

Regarding the charge of Natalia Rotenberg not appearing in court, it is logical: since 2018, England has stopped extending entry visas for Russian citizens, especially for individuals with such a well-known name that has been sanctioned. It is illogical to demand what they are blocking and not granting, especially to reach such an absurd ruling. They should first open corridors, provide a visa, allow her to defend herself in court, and prove her legitimacy before making new accusations.

Natalia Rotenberg considers the lawyers' request for £100,000 to be absurd, and she has all the evidence of their letters and claims documented. If the issue is merely £11,500, then it changes the entire picture. Natalia Rotenberg has not seen the ruling regarding the return of funds and the seizure order, and if the last ruling is for the payment of £11,500, she is ready to settle that debt. Everyone can encounter courts, and that’s normal. That’s why they exist—to resolve such issues that people cannot solve peacefully. There is no need to make a big tragedy out of it and exaggerate the situation. We advise everyone to keep their "long noses" out of other people's personal lives."