Pop star Filipp Kirkorov has narrowly avoided criminal charges for assaulting a television producer, reaching an out-of-court settlement with the victim hours before he was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Marina Yablokova, 29, accused Kirkorov, 43, of kicking her and dragging her by the hair during a spat over stage lights at the filming of a yet-unaired "Golden Gramophone" television show on Dec. 4.
Prominent lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, who acted as a mediator in the case, confirmed Thursday that the sides reached an agreement, but provided no details, Interfax reported.
Kirkorov will donate 10 million rubles ($325,000) to charity over the incident, RIA-Novosti said, citing an unidentified source involved in the negotiations. The deal must be approved at a court hearing next Wednesday, it said.
Kirkorov apologized to Yablokova last week, blaming the incident on “fits” caused by an undiagnosed mental disorder, and nearly reached a settlement. But the deal fell through after he later denied physically assaulting Yablokova, prompting her to file a complaint.
Both sides have claimed that their version of events is supported by a video of the incident, which remains under wraps.
“Filipp is happy everything is over and even promised a New Year gift [to Yablokova],” Kirkorov's lawyer Alexander Dobrovinsky said Thursday, RIA-Novosti reported. "He will probably sing."
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