Brad Pitt’s lawyers have claimed that Angelina Jolie’s actions were “unlawful” and “intentially” damaging regarding the sale of her share of the couple’s $160million Chateau Miraval business back in 2021.
In new court documents obtained by The Daily Mail, it has been revealed that Brad was unaware that his ex-wife sold her 50 per cent stake in their shared winery business, and only learned that the actress had sold it to Russian oligarch Yuri Shjwefler via a press release in 2021.
The Bullet Train star claims that the pair had agreed that they would never sell their half of the business without the other’s permission, and that they were both to have first refusal on shares in the winery.
The document, which was filed in LA Superior Court, reads: “As will be demonstrated at trial, Jolie's actions were unlawful, severely and intentionally damaging Pitt and unjustly enriching herself.” Angelina has filed a counterclaim stating that Brad had attempted to force her to sell to his company on “unreasonable terms”.
© Getty ImagesBrad’s lawyer’s filing continued: “Jolie, though supportive of Pitt's efforts on behalf of the family, did none of the work necessary for Miraval's success… Instead, she allowed Pitt to pour money and sweat equity into the business in reliance on her promise to hold Miraval together, as well as the contractual rights her holding company Nouvel owed his. By the time of their separation, Pitt's investment exceeded Jolie's by nearly $50 million.
“In the summer of 2021, amid a heated child custody dispute with Pitt, Jolie terminated those discussions [about selling to Brad Pitt] and secretly purported to sell a 50% stake in the family home and family business to Tenute del Mondo.”
© MICHEL GANGNEThe couple - who share six children Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and 12-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox - split back in 2016 following allegations of physical and verbal abuse during a plane journey. Five days after the flight, Angelina filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences.
The actress disclosed new details about allegations of assault during the plane ride back in 2022 while filing the counter claim over their winery.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Maleficent actress alleged that during negotiations to sell her share, Brad demanded she sign “a nondisclosure agreement that would have contractually prohibited her from speaking outside of court about Pitt’s physical and emotional abuse of her and their children”.
The documents also describe various acts of verbal and physical abuse that Angelina alleges occurred including the "choking" of one of their children. She also claims that he threw "beer and red wine on the children”.
© TOLGA AKMENFollowing the alleged incident, his team said in a statement: "He is emphatic that it did not reach the level of physical abuse, that no one was physically harmed. He did not hit his child in the face in any way. He did not do that; he is emphatic about that. He put his hands on him, yes, because the confrontation was spiraling out of control.” Brad has always denied all the allegations.
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