Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s long-running legal battle over their French winery, Château Miraval, has taken another dramatic turn.
According to a new report from We weeklythe actor is now formally opposing accusations that he misused winery funds for so-called “vanity projects” amid his bitter dispute with his ex-wife.
Court documents filed on Monday, December 22, show Pitt is addressing claims that he and his company improperly spent Miraval’s money on personal upgrades, including approximately $8 million that would have been used to build a house on the estate and add a swimming pool.
The 62-year-old actor also responded to inquiries about a message he sent to employees during discussions about building a music studio at the winery.
In the message, Pitt wrote: ‘I think we should stop steering [Jolie] reports while trying to buy her shares.
He states that the communications do not constitute evidence of embezzlement or criminal intent.
In the filing, Pitt argued that the message was taken out of context and only reflects his personal perspective at the time.
“The message is formulated as a personal view or observation, and not as an instruction,” he said, adding that it “does not indicate an intention to promote or facilitate any unlawful conduct.”
Before concluding, Pitt further claimed that there was no legal obligation for him to provide the report in question to 50-year-old Jolie, stressing that there was no misconduct on his part.
