Actor Angelina Jolie is being sued by her ex-husband, actor Brad Pitt for selling her share of the French Winery. The former couple brought the share of Chateau Miraval in southern France in 2008 and got married almost after six years. The actors filed for their divorce in 2016, and since then, they have been caught in a court deadlock. The couple is also in a court deadlock over the custody of their six children since the time they have filed their divorce.
According to the lawsuit that has been filed by Brad Pitt on Thursday in California, the ex-couple had come to a mutual consensus that none of them would sell their respective share of the Chateau Miraval winery without each other’s consent. However, last year in October, Angelina Jolie sold her interests to a Luxembourg-based spirits manufacturer that Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler controls, as reported by the mint. Pitt is filing alleges that Jolie broke the terms of their original agreement. She did not offer him refusal for her share and also that she is seeking to recover unearned windfall profits for herself while inflicting unjustified harm on Brad.
Reportedly, Angelina has stopped funding the winery long ago while Brad continued pouring in Miraval and sweat equity into the wine business. Because of it, the company is standing tall today. Brad Pitt’s lawsuit is requesting a trial by a jury. Moreover, the case describes the vineyard as a small and unprofitable wine business that needed financial help before the purchase made by the couple in 2008.
Pitt contributed 60% while Jolie contributed 40% out of 25 million euros (28 million dollars). The problem arose since Pitt contributed way more than the share he held to the vineyard. He went out of his way to help the business stand believing that Angelina would never pull out without his consent.
Further, Brad Pitt brought France’s top winemaker, Marc Perrin, into the picture and helped give a complete transformation to Miraval’s business into becoming a rose wine producer. Angelina Jolie had no involvement in this process. On the good part, due to these efforts, the revenues of Miraval Chateau reportedly grew from approximately $3 million in 2013 to more than $50 million last year. Moreover, Miraval recently launched a new line of rose sparkling wine. Further, what the actress is doing amidst this is that she reportedly is seeking profits and returns from the investment she never made.
Tenute del Mondo’s drinks company that purchased Jolie’s share said that it has a keen interest in investing in Miraval.
“We entered this partnership wanting to bring the talent, skills, and distribution channels that will only further enhance the Miraval offering and make Miraval the most successful brand of rose wine and champagne.”
-Tenute del Mondo, in their press release
The lawyers of Angelina Jolie stated that the actress had not been served with this lawsuit yet, and they are learning about it from the media
Edited By- Subbuthai Padma
Published By- Bharat Anand
