By Samuel López | USA Herald

Factual Background

• Gleb Savchenko has listed his nearly five-acre Morongo Valley property for $1.4 million as his custody dispute with ex-wife Elena Samodanova continues.
• Savchenko has accused Samodanova and her fiancé of sending inappropriate messages about him to their teenage daughter, allegations Samodanova strongly denies.
• A Los Angeles judge stayed the California custody proceeding while a separate Hague Convention matter concerning Samodanova’s return to Hong Kong, remains active and unresolved.

MORONGO VALLEY, Calif. — Former Dancing With the Stars professional Gleb Savchenko has placed his Southern California desert home on the market for $1.4 million, a major real-estate move unfolding as his increasingly contentious international custody battle with ex-wife Elena Samodanova continues.

The Morongo Valley property was listed in late August and includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms across nearly 2,700 square feet. Sitting on just under five acres, the home offers expansive views toward Mt. San Jacinto and includes a pool and jacuzzi, separate casita, solar power, private well and EV charging station, based on the MLS listing.

The timing has drawn attention because Savchenko and Samodanova are simultaneously fighting over where their teenage daughter Olivia should live, attend school and remain while competing legal proceedings play out in California and internationally.

Savchenko filed for sole custody of Olivia in July, seeking permission to enroll her in high school in Los Angeles. Samodanova, who lives in Hong Kong with their younger daughter, has sought Olivia’s return and maintains that Hong Kong is the teenager’s established home.

At an August 20 hearing, a Los Angeles judge placed a stay on the California custody case after Samodanova advised the court that she had initiated proceedings under the Hague Convention involving allegations of wrongful retention. Olivia was not ordered back to Hong Kong at that hearing and remained in Los Angeles while the international issue proceeded. The next hearing was reported as scheduled for November 3, subject to developments in the Hague matter.

Legally, the stay is important but should not be confused with a custody determination in either parent’s favor. A stay generally pauses proceedings while another potentially controlling jurisdictional issue is resolved. Here, the international dispute could affect whether and how the California court proceeds with the broader custody case.

Savchenko Raises Allegations Over Messages to Daughter

The dispute intensified again in late August when Savchenko filed court papers describing communications he claims Samodanova and her fiancé sent to Olivia.

According to reporting on the filing, Savchenko alleged that Olivia receives numerous calls and hundreds of messages from her mother, including communications he characterizes as insulting, guilt-inducing, manipulative and disparaging toward him.

Savchenko also identified specific allegedly inappropriate messages, including crude sexual references concerning him and comments connected to a Las Vegas trip Olivia took with her father. He claims the exchanges left his daughter upset and feeling compelled to defend him.

Those allegations remain disputed.

Samodanova categorically denied that she or her fiancé sent the inappropriate messages attributed to them, calling Savchenko’s accusations false and arguing that the central issue remains his failure to return Olivia to Hong Kong on the previously expected July 9 date.

Public reporting reviewed by USA Herald describes what Savchenko said was contained in the communications and his court filing. It does not establish that a judge has authenticated the messages, determined who sent them, or made factual findings adopting Savchenko’s allegations.

That distinction is significant in a contested family-law proceeding. Allegations contained in declarations and motions can become evidence, but their credibility, admissibility and ultimate weight are matters for the court after both sides have an opportunity to respond.

Two Parents Present Starkly Different Accounts

Savchenko maintains Olivia is safe in Los Angeles, wants to remain with him and should be allowed to have her wishes considered. He has rejected suggestions that he was hiding the teenager or avoiding authorities.

Samodanova presents a sharply different account. She says she has served as Olivia’s primary caregiver and argues that removing her from Hong Kong has disrupted the teenager’s education, stability and competitive dance career.

For now, the sale of Savchenko’s desert property is one visible development occurring against a much larger legal backdrop. The $1.4 million listing does not itself establish any connection to the custody litigation, and no public court finding reviewed by USA Herald indicates the property sale was ordered or compelled by the dispute.

What remains unresolved is considerably more consequential — where Olivia will ultimately live, which court will exercise authority over that determination, and how much weight her own wishes will receive as the litigation moves forward.

About the Author

Samuel López is an independent news reporter for USA Herald and has contributed to the publication since 2022. A seasoned legal professional with more than two decades of experience across the legal and insurance sectors.

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