Dancing with the Stars professional Gleb Savchenko is pushing back against allegations that he is hiding with his teenage daughter, calling his ex-wife Elena Samodanova’s claims “a total lie” in a new court filing.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Savchenko says Samodanova knows where he lives and where their 15-year-old daughter, Olivia, is staying. He also claims that Samodanova and Olivia have spoken several times since Olivia decided she wanted to remain in California with him.
Gleb Savchenko Denies Avoiding Authorities
Savchenko specifically disputed Samodanova’s previous claim that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office was taking steps to locate him and Olivia. He argued that the statement creates the impression that he is deliberately concealing himself and his daughter from authorities.
The DWTS professional reportedly described that characterization as
“simply outrageous and a total lie.”
He further claims that Olivia, who is approaching 16, has chosen to reduce contact with her mother and changed her own phone number without giving Samodanova the new number.
Samodanova previously alleged that Olivia was expected to return to Hong Kong on July 9 but did not do so. She said she did not know Olivia’s current address and could only reach her through Instagram.
Savchenko has previously maintained that Olivia is safe, that he is not avoiding authorities and that the custody dispute is being addressed through the courts. The competing claims remain part of an ongoing legal dispute.
