Pitt says Jolie sought ‘harm’ by selling vineyard to Russian oligarch

LOS ANGELES

Brad Pitt has accused his ex-wife Angelina Jolie of seeking to “inflict harm” on him by selling her stake in their French vineyard to a Russian oligarch with “poisonous associations and intentions.”

The allegations, made in new court filings as part of Pitt’s lawsuit against Jolie for the sale of Chateau Miraval, are the latest barb in a bitter legal battle between the former Hollywood power couple who filed for divorce in 2016.

Last October, Jolie sold her stake in the southern France vineyard, where she and Pitt had their wedding, to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Russia-born billionaire Yuri Shefler’s drinks conglomerate.

Pitt sued in February, saying the couple had agreed never to sell their interests without the other’s consent, and accusing Jolie of seeking “unearned” profits.

In an amended complaint seen by AFP, Pitt’s lawyers argue “Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt” with the sale, and describe Shefler as “a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions.”

The filing received by a Los Angeles court last week alleges Shefler “maintains personal and professional relationships with individuals in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.”

Shefler has long been an outspoken critic of Putin, and his Stoli Group drinks conglomerate is based in Latvia.

Once Tinseltown’s highest-profile couple, Pitt and Jolie first got together after co-starring as married assassins in the 2005 film “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time.

The A-listers announced in 2018 they had reached an amicable settlement over their children, three biological and three adopted, but any deal appeared to quickly fall apart.

Last July, Jolie scored a win in their custody battle as the private judge overseeing their divorce and custody matters was disqualified from the case.