The battle continues. A company founded by Angelina Jolie filed a $250 million lawsuit against her ex-husband Brad Pitt over the French winery they purchased during their relationship.
Court papers filed on Tuesday, September 6, and obtained by Us Weekly claimed that Pitt, 58, attempted to “seize control” of the 1,300-acre estate “in retaliation” for the ongoing “divorce and custody proceedings” he and Jolie, 47, are embroiled in.
The suit alleges that the estranged duo jointly invested tens of millions of dollars into the property and claims the Ad Astra star squandered funds on “vanity projects” including more than $1 million on a swimming pool.
Pitt has yet to publicly address the lawsuit. A source close to the Fight Club actor, however, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 7: “Sadly, this is yet another rehash and repackaging of old material to try and distract from the other party’s own behavior.”
The dispute over the winery began in February when Pitt filed a lawsuit claiming that the Maleficent star had illegally sold her shares of Miraval, the French company which includes the chateau and vineyard where the exes tied the knot in March 2013. An insider told Us at the time that the Moneybag actor had been “blindsided” by his ex-wife’s decision.
“He assumed they’d work it out because she knows how important the winery is to him,” the source said.
The February suit claims that Jolie “sought to inflict harm” when she sold her stake in the company to businessman Yuri Shefler.
“She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the filing alleged.
The Mr. and Mrs. Smith costars, who were both declared legally single in 2019, share six children: Maddox, 21, Pax, 18, Zaharah, 17, Shiloh, 16, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 14.
In addition to the winery dispute, the former couple are also still enmeshed in a custody battle for their minor children.
“It’s very clear to him that Angie has gone out of her way to delay and stall the process,” another insider close to Pitt told Us of the custody dispute in June. “All he can do is work with his legal team and file the paperwork whilst responding to her claims. Month after month goes by with one piece of red tape after another, endless jumping through hoops and bickering between their lawyers with no resolution.”
