Brad Pitt and his company, Mondo Bongo, are once again facing legal troubles as they are being sued for their alleged involvement in a complex financial scheme.
The lawsuit, filed by beverage company Tenute del Mondo, accuses Pitt of misappropriating millions of dollars from Chateau Miraval, a French winery in which he holds a significant stake.
The legal battle stems from Pitt's ex-wife, Angelina Jolie's, sale of 50% of her shares in Chateau Miraval to Tenute del Mondo.
According to the cross-complaint filed by Tenute, Pitt is accused of diverting funds from Chateau Miraval to his own entities and using the money for personal expenses.
The lawsuit alleges that Jolie, through her former company Nouvel (now owned by Tenute), and Quimicum, made a total of $20 million in loans to Château Miraval, which Pitt and his company have allegedly failed to repay.
Tenute del Mondo claims that despite the winery's success, they have not received any profits from their investment or repayment of the loans.
As the owner of Nouvel, Tenute del Mondo asserts that it is entitled to its fair share of profits from Chateau Miraval.
The legal documents obtained by The Blast reveal that Tenute claims Pitt and Mondo Bongo have engaged in illegal conduct to reduce the profits and repayments owed to them from the winery.
The lawsuit further alleges that Pitt and his company have turned Chateau Miraval into their "personal piggy bank" by diverting funds to other business endeavors and using the winery's assets to fund their personal expenses.
The legal documents state that Pitt has entered into transactions using Chateau Miraval's funds that have deprived Tenute of the profits and loan repayments they are entitled to.
According to Tenute del Mondo, Pitt and Mondo Bongo have misappropriated millions of dollars that should have been rightfully received by them through Nouvel or Quimicum.
The lawsuit claims that Pitt was able to achieve this by using Chateau Miraval employees to misappropriate funds and transfer them to his private ventures.
The legal dispute is part of the ongoing battle between Pitt and Jolie, who have been embroiled in a bitter divorce since 2016.
Despite being legally single since 2019, the former couple has been delaying their divorce as they continue to fight over Chateau Miraval.
Pitt had previously accused Jolie of unfair business practices after she sold 50% of her share in Chateau Miraval to Tenute del Mondo, a company indirectly owned and controlled by Yuri Shefler, a Russian billionaire who controls the Stoli Group.
Pitt had raised concerns about Shefler's associations and intentions, accusing Jolie of attempting a hostile takeover of Chateau Miraval.
The legal battle surrounding Chateau Miraval has been dubbed "the war of the rosés," reflecting the intense nature of the dispute between Pitt and Jolie.
The ongoing legal saga has seen both parties making allegations against each other, further complicating their already contentious divorce proceedings.
In response to the latest lawsuit, Pitt and his legal team are expected to vigorously defend against the allegations made by Tenute del Mondo.
The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the ownership and operations of Chateau Miraval, as well as for the ongoing divorce proceedings between Pitt and Jolie.
As the legal battle continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the dispute over Chateau Miraval will ultimately be resolved.
With both Pitt and Jolie firmly entrenched in their positions, the conflict shows no signs of abating anytime soon. The stakes are high, and the outcome of this legal showdown could have far-reaching consequences for all parties involved.
