The high-profile feud between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie has taken a new turn in their ongoing legal battle over the French winery Château Miraval.
According to court documents obtained by People magazine, Pitt has filed a motion demanding private communications related to the sale of the winery, which Jolie sold to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli Group, in 2021 for $67 million.
Pitt claims that Alexey Oliynik, an employee of Stoli Group, has crucial knowledge about Jolie's sale of the winery and is seeking to depose him. However, Oliynik has refused to cooperate, citing his Swiss residency as protection.
The F1 star's legal team argues that these requests are essential to proving that Jolie acted with malice in selling to Stoli, a counterparty Pitt opposed.
"These requests go directly to key allegations about Pitt’s objections to the sale," his lawyers wrote, "and easily meet the standard for discoverability given Pitt’s allegations that Jolie acted with malice in selling to Stoli, a counterparty she knew Pitt opposed."
The dispute centers around a prior agreement that neither Pitt nor Jolie would sell the property without the other's approval. Pitt filed a lawsuit in February 2022, alleging that Jolie violated this agreement.
The Maria actress responded with a countersuit, claiming Pitt has been waging a vindictive war against her since she filed for divorce in 2016.
The Magnificent star's legal team also stated that Pitt refused to buy her out of the winery business because she didn't want to sign a non-disclosure agreement "designed to force her silence about his abuse and cover-up."
A source close to Jolie expressed hope that Pitt can now "move on," citing the winery lawsuit: "Sadly, until he drops his lawsuit, this family will not have the peace and healing they so very much desire and deserve."
On the other hand, a source close to Pitt claimed that Jolie's actions have caused "tremendous collateral damage to those in and around the family."
In a recent development, a judge ruled that Jolie must produce eight years' worth of non-disclosure agreements. The court battle continues, with Pitt and Jolie's representatives trading barbs over the allegations.
