- Angelina Jolie’s former investment company accuses Brad Pitt of waging a vindictive war against her.
- Nouvel LLC claims Pitt has taken over the Château Miraval winery in southeast France.
- Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie and Nouvel in February.
Angelina Jolie’s former investment company accused Brad Pitt of waging a “vindictive war” in a countersuit it filed against her ex-husband in an acrimonious battle over a French vineyard that the U.S. actors once shared
Pitt had taken over the winery in southeast France, according to Nouvel LLC, Jolie’s former investment firm that holds a share in the Château Miraval vineyard. Pitt’s countersuit was submitted on Tuesda
“Ever since his former wife, Angelina Jolie, filed for divorce from him in 2016, Brad Pitt has been waging a vindictive war against her and Nouvel,” it said.
The suit also accused Pitt of squandering the vineyard’s assets on vanity projects and said he “looted” its valuable trademarks.
“Pitt has frozen Nouvel out of Chateau Miraval and treats it as his personal fiefdom,” said Nouvel’s countersuit, which was filed in California state court in Los Angeles.
Pitt’s “unlawful and oppressive conduct” is the basis of Nouvel’s demand for at least $250 million in damages. Last year, Jolie sold Nouvel.
Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie and Nouvel in February, claiming that she had illegally sold her ownership in Château Miraval to a global alcoholic beverage corporation. The couple, who are both Oscar winners, were married there in 2014.
On Thursday, enquiries were not immediately answered by Jolie and Pitt’s attorneys. The lawyers for Nouvel declined to comment.
The 1,300-acre Chateau Miraval was purchased by Jolie and Pitt in 2008. Between Marseille and Nice, in the village of Correns, is where the vineyard is situated.
Nouvel said in the court filing that Jolie sought to sell her 50% stake to Pitt after their divorce in 2016 but failed to reach a deal because of Pitt’s “unreasonable terms”.
Jolie sold Nouvel to alcohol distributor Stoli Group in October 2021, but Pitt would not agree to relinquish his absolute control over it, according to the countersuit.
Pitt said in his lawsuit that he and Jolie had agreed that they would never sell their interests in the vineyard without the other’s consent. The sale violated that agreement and denied Pitt his right of first refusal, he said.
Pitt also said Jolie was not entitled to “unearned windfall profits” from the sale because she had stopped contributing to Chateau Miraval while Pitt “poured money and sweat equity” into the business.
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