Brad Pitt claims he was 'bullied & threatened' by Russian tycoon in $350 million vineyard battle against Angelina Jolie | 047DQH7 | 2024-02-16 20:08:01
The Oscar-winner, 60, is presently preventing v
BRAD Pitt has accused his Russian billionaire business rival of making an attempt to "bully" and "threaten" him with smears of their battle over the movie star's French vineyard.&
The Oscar-winner, 60, is presently preventing vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler, 56, in court for management of the Chateau Miraval winery he used to own with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.
Pitt is making an attempt to undo the $64 million sale by Jolie, 48, of her share within the winery to Shefler via her funding firm Nouvel in 2021.
The actor claims in new courtroom docs that, after "secretly" shopping for Nouvel, Shefler unilaterally put out a press release saying their "partnership" and then demanded the pair meet for talks.
The Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star says he was "finally threatened" if he didn't cooperate.
The legal documents exclusively obtained by The U.S. Sun state: "Shefler personally took motion to foster his supposed partnership with Pitt after the transaction closed, writing Pitt repeatedly to bully him into going alongside."
The legal submitting adds: "Since acquiring Nouvel, Shefler has steered a gathering between himself and Pitt to 'talk about the best way ahead'…
"At occasions, Shefler expressed his fervent want to work with Pitt.&
"At others, he threatened Pitt based mostly on drummed-up costs of mismanagement at Miraval."
The claims have been set out by Pitt's legal professionals in a submitting earlier this month at the Los Angeles Superior Courtroom.
He says the 2021 deal was in breach of Jolie's earlier promise to offer him first refusal if she ever bought up.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> Pitt sued Jolie in February 2022 over the sale of Nouvel and its 50% stake in Chateau Miraval to a business group managed by Shefler.
In September that yr Nouvel hit back with a cross-complaint towards Pitt and is looking for $350 million in damages.
Pitt's legal staff claims that Shefler – whose enterprise empire owns the Stolichnaya vodka brand – was desperate to cash in on the star's "Hollywood movie star".&
The brand new courtroom docs allege that the businessman needed to "elbow his approach right into a partnership between Pitt and Jolie—two California-based celebrities—with a purpose to profit from Pitt's fame".
The papers also set out an instance of correspondence sent by Shefler to Pitt on December 11, 2021.
They state: "He apologized for 'catching Pitt unexpectedly by getting into his Miraval Empire,' and asked Pitt to 'belief me and depend upon me' as his new 'associate.'
"But, Shefler warned, if Pitt did not bend to his wishes, Shefler would 'be protecting his interest and wouldn't hesitate to take that course of until the very end.'
"And he has made good on that menace: because the transaction, Shefler has leveraged Nouvel — the California LLC he now controls — to sue Pitt and attempt a hostile takeover of Château Miraval."
Shefler claims the courtroom in California has no jurisdiction to hear a full trial on the matter.
His legal workforce has beforehand described Pitt as "an actor, not a winemaker" and added that he "offers in illusions, not dust and grapes".
In the meantime, a European courtroom just lately reportedly handed Pitt a partial victory when it stripped Shefler of 10% of his shares, effectively making Pitt the bulk shareholder once once more.
The courtroom in Luxembourg – the place Chateau Miraval's& holding company is predicated – gave management of shares gifted by Pitt to Jolie in 2013 to a court-appointed receiver.&
Pitt and Jolie bought the 1,300-acre property in Provence, Southern France, in 2008 for $28.four million and married there in 2014.&
The vineyard has been extremely worthwhile and even produced an award-winning rosé.
The former Hollywood power couple – who share six youngsters – split up in 2016 however have but to finalize their divorce.&
It's believed a ultimate settlement may be shut after the pair last week submitted monetary paperwork to courtroom.&
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt cut up up in 2016 but have yet to finalize their divorce[/caption]
Chateau Miraval, seen here in an aerial photograph, has produced an award-winning glowing rosé wine[/caption]
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