Brad Pitt is standing firm in his legal battle with ex-wife Angelina Jolie over the French winery they once jointly owned. In legal documents filed on Thursday by Pitt’s lawyers, the actor alleges that Jolie’s sale of her stake in Château Miraval in 2021 was “vindictive” and came after an “adverse custody ruling.”
According to the papers, “Her decision to terminate negotiations with Pitt was intentional and pretextual. As will be demonstrated at trial, Jolie’s actions were unlawful, severely and intentionally damaging Pitt and unjustly enriching herself.” Jolie’s representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The couple’s marriage ended in divorce in 2016 after Jolie filed a petition. Although declared legally single in 2019, a shared custody arrangement of their minor children and their divorce have yet to be finalized.
Jolie sold her stake in the winery to the subsidiary of Stoli Group, controlled by Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, to gain financial independence. However, Pitt disputes the sale and claims that it was unlawful because he and Jolie had agreed that the winery would not be sold without each other’s consent.
The estate and winery, located in the south of France, were purchased by the former couple in 2008 and have been a point of contention in their ongoing legal battle. The sale of the stake in the winery has added fuel to their already bitter custody dispute. As the case continues, it is unclear what the ultimate outcome will be, but it has highlighted the importance of mutually agreed-upon contracts.