Brad Pitt is reportedly determined to force out the Russian vodka oligarch to whom Angelina Jolie secretly sold her share of their $500-million French vineyard.
The Oscar-winning ‘Fight Club’ actor, 59, and actress Jolie, 48, bought Château Miraval in 2008 and married there in an intimate ceremony in 2014, but have been battling over it since their 2019 divorce.
It’s now been reported by Page Six Pitt is furious at Yuri Shefler for mocking him in court filings revealed on Monday as “an actor” and “not a winemaker”.
A source told the outlet: “Brad stands by the people who he’s done business with and he doesn’t give into bullies.”
Insiders also say Pitt sees Jolie’s sale to the Russian as “vindictive” as Jolie knew he had previously turned down an approach to buy the château from Shefler.
It comes after attorneys for Jolie’s former investment company Nouvel claimed in newly-lodged court papers Pitt “wasted” the firm’s assets by “spending millions on vanity projects” including “rebuilding a staircase four times and spending millions to restore a recording studio”.
Documents obtained by Page Six also showed lawyers branded Pitt’s alleged behaviour “misconduct” and say it escalated after JOlie sold Nouvel in October 2021 to a company controlled by oligarch Shefler.
The papers stated: “Incensed that Jolie sold Nouvel to Stoli rather than him, Pitt has acted like a petulant child, refusing to treat Nouvel as an equal partner in the business.”
Jolie is said to have allegedly agreed to divide the company up 68 percent to 38 percent in Pitt’s favour as he had invested more into their 35-room mansion.
During summer 2021, the actor found out via a press release that Jolie had sold her 50 percent stake to a “Russian oligarch,” who Pitt had previously turned down.
Pitt filed his original lawsuit against his Atelier Jolie founder ex-wife in February 2022, claiming she deprived him “of his right to enjoy his private home and to oversee the business he developed from scratch.”
The star previously claimed his “vindictive” ex-wife “collaborated in secret” with Shefler, who also owns Stoli Group, to ensure he would be “kept in the dark.”