In the latest development in the ongoing legal battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Pitt has pushed back against Jolie's request to disclose third-party communications related to a 2016 plane incident. The former couple, who were married from 2014 to 2019 and have six children together, have been embroiled in a dispute over the sale of their jointly owned French winery, Château Miraval.
According to court documents obtained by multiple media outlets, Jolie sold her share of the winery to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Stoli Group controlled by Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, in October 2021 without Pitt's consent. Pitt sued Jolie and her former company Nouvel LLC in February 2022, alleging that she had unlawfully sold her stake in the winery.
In response to Pitt's lawsuit, Jolie requested that he turn over third-party communications related to the plane incident. However, Pitt's attorneys argue that these communications are not relevant to the case and are an attempt by Jolie to re-litigate their divorce proceedings.
Pitt's attorneys also accused Jolie of trying to punish and control him by demanding an expanded NDA in a past offer to buy her stake in the winery. They claimed that this demand was related to Pitt's personal misconduct and abuse, which Jolie denies.
Jolie's legal team has argued that these communications are necessary to prove Pitt's allegations wrong. However, Pitt's attorneys have called the request intrusive and a sensationalist fishing expedition. The case is ongoing, with both sides continuing to exchange discovery requests and filings.
This business dispute between the former couple comes after their highly publicized divorce proceedings in which allegations of abuse were made on both sides. Pitt was investigated by the FBI over an incident on a private jet in 2016, but no charges were filed. Jolie has also accused Pitt of physical and emotional abuse during their marriage.
The sale of Château Miraval to Tenute del Mondo has raised concerns about the involvement of a Russian oligarch in the winery, which is located in Provence, France. The case is being closely watched by media outlets and fans of the former couple.