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TAMPA — John France went on national television Thursday to deny a previous wife's assertions that he was leading a double life that she discovered on Facebook.
Lynn France, 41, of Ohio told the NBC Today show Tuesday that she married John France in a lavish Italian wedding in 2005 only to discover that he was living with another wife in Tampa.
But John France, 63, called her story completely absurd.
"She knew about the marriage months prior," he told Today's Matt Lauer.
France's current wife, Amanda, 25, joined him on the show, along with his attorney, Gary Williams of Clearwater.
Williams told Lauer that France's marriage to Lynn was never legal in the United States so there was no need for a divorce before he married Amanda.
And France insisted he didn't cheat on Lynn. He told her wanted a divorce and that he planned to marry Amanda. He dropped plans for a divorce after he learned he didn't need one, he said.
Williams said that all the facts supporting his client's case will come out in court.
France also denied that he prevented Lynn France from visiting their two children, ages 2 and 3, in Tampa. He said he cannot take them to Ohio to visit their mother because of ongoing legal proceedings.
Amanda France said they have encouraged Lynn France to visit her children. "We bought her tickets to come down for Mother's Day," she said. "She canceled on the cell phone, not us. Every day, every weekend she'll call and talk to the boys."
John France said he hopes the dispute will end civilly, with both parents being able to have a relationship with their sons.
Reiterating that he was never living a double life, John France said Lynn was motivated to tell the story because she was losing the court case.
"Lynn knew everything I was doing for two years," he said. "Where did she think the kids were going? Now she brings it up 2 1/2 years later?"
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