Angelina Jolie accuses Brad Pitt of ‘waging a vindictive war against her’ in new countersuit





CNN

The battle between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for their wine estate continues.

In February, Pitt sued Jolie for what he said was an “illegal” sale of his stake in Chateau Miraval, a southern France estate and winery the couple acquired in 2008.

In a countersuit filed this week, obtained by CNN, Jolie accused ex-husband Brad Pitt of “waging a vindictive war against her” and “hijacking” control of the lucrative wine business they once shared.

Pitt and Jolie married on the property in 2014 and, according to Pitt’s suit, would spend the family vacation there.

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in September 2016 following a heated encounter aboard a private jet investigated by the FBI.

After that, Jolie’s lawsuit, filed on behalf of her former company Nouvel LLC, alleges that Pitt “and his allies” took “unlawful and malicious actions” with intent to “harm” Jolie and Nouvel, “by devaluing his investments and depriving him of his role in the management of Château Miraval, a world-famous producer of rosé wine.

Jolie is seeking at least $250 million in compensatory damages.

CNN has reached out to reps for Pitt and Jolie for comment.

The countersuit states that Pitt “orchestrated a so far successful plan to take control of Chateau Miraval” and mishandled trademark registrations that had “devastating financial consequences” for Nouvel.

“Pitt froze Nouvel from Chateau Miraval and treats him as his personal fiefdom,” the lawsuit states.

It also states that Pitt “has embarked on a multi-faceted, years-long campaign to take control of Chateau Miraval and appropriate the company’s assets for his benefit and that of his own companies and friends.”

In his claim, Pitt alleged that Jolie “did nothing to stimulate (the) growth” of the business, which he turned into a “multi-million dollar international success.”

Jolie’s countersuit disputes this, saying that “Pitt refused to grant Jolie or Nouvel equal access to the Château Miraval archives or an equal voice in management”, “holding hostage the most important part of his net value”.

Jolie exited the business in October 2021, selling Nouvel and her stake in Miraval to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of the Stoli Group, controlled by Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler.

Pitt’s lawsuit alleges the sale was illegal because he and Jolie had agreed when purchasing Chateau Miraval that neither would sell without the other’s consent. But Jolie’s countersuit alleges she made the sale after negotiations between Jolie and Pitt that allegedly sold Nouvel to Pitt collapsed over “a provision to bar Jolie from speaking publicly about the events that led to her the breakdown of their marriage.

“Pitt knew that much of Jolie’s wealth and cash was tied to Nouvel and used that fact to try to force Jolie to agree to his unreasonable terms,” ​​his countersuit says.

Pitt’s lawsuit did not specify the amount sought for damages, but included a request for “relief as the Court deems just and proper.”

A dissolution of Pitt and Jolie’s marriage was granted in 2019, but their legal battle over ownership and custody of their minor children continued.

A California appeals court ruled last year that a retired judge who had been hired by the two sides to mediate the custody dispute should be disqualified because of undisclosed ties to Pitt’s attorneys.

In 2020, Jolie told Vogue India that she broke up with Pitt for the sake of her children.

Pitt told GQ in 2017 that he quit drinking after “drinking” too much last year.

In a June 2022 interview with British GQ, he recently opened up about finding peace.

“I’ve always felt very alone in my life,” he told the publication, “lonely growing up as a child, alone even here, and it’s really only recently that I’ve had a more big hug from my friends and family.”