Brad Pitt slams Angelina Jolie’s ‘secret’ sale of French vineyard stake: suit

Celebrities

By Erin Keller

June 1, 2023 | 10:22pm

Talk about sour grapes.

Brad Pitt says he learned of Angelina Jolie’s sale of her half of their shared French vineyard to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler from a 2021 press release that announced the “Babylon” star had new business partners.

“That was by design: Jolie collaborated in secret with Shefler and his associates to pursue and then consummate the purported sale, ensuring that Pitt would be kept in the dark,” reads the amended complaint filed Thursday in Los Angeles court by Pitt’s attorneys.

Shefler’s Stoli company and Jolie “knowingly violated Pitt’s and [his company] Mondo Bongo’s contractual rights and forced a stranger into Pitt’s family home,” continues the paperwork obtained by The Post.

The former couple had an equal stake in the $160 million Chateau Miraval — they purchased a controlling interest in 2008 and used the 1,200-acre estate as their wedding venue in 2014.

The pair, who split in 2016, had a “mutual and binding commitment… that, if the time ever came, neither could or would dispose of his or her interest separately without the other’s consent,” according to the newly filed court document.

The Post has contacted reps for Pitt, 59, and Jolie, 47, for comment.

Jolie’s attorneys have called Pitt’s claims “frivolous, malicious and part of a problematic pattern.”

Pitt initially sued Jolie over the vineyard in February 2022, with Jolie’s company, Nouvel, filing a $250 million cross-complaint in the fall.

This new paperwork claims the winery business was Pitt’s “passion,” leading him to team up with esteemed winemaker Marc Perrin in 2013.

“Together they would create one of the first high-end rosé wines, branded as a family-owned, family-run French wine business. That strategy met with success. Under Pitt’s and Perrin’s stewardship, Miraval has grown into a multimillion dollar global business and one of the world’s most highly regarded makers of rosé wine,” reads Pitt’s document.

“Jolie, though supportive of Pitt’s efforts on behalf of the family, did none of the work necessary for Miraval’s success. Instead, she stood by as Pitt invested money and sweat equity into the home and business in reliance on her promise to hold Miraval together, as well as the contractual rights her holding company Nouvel owed his.”

Pitt alleges Jolie was “unjustly enriched” by the sale.

A Pitt insider told The Post the two-time Oscar winner won’t back down or abandon his winemaking partner during this fight.

“Shefler’s Russia-affiliated spirits conglomerate has been the subject of repeat boycotts in connection with Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and homophobic legislative agenda,” Pitt’s complaint argues.

“While Shefler may be seeking to launder his reputation by forcing a partnership with one of the world’s most well-known and popular actors, affiliation with Shefler and Stoli jeopardizes the reputation of the business.”

The vineyard sale happened in the midst of the exes’ “heated child custody dispute,” Pitt’s lawyers claim in the paperwork.

Jolie is said to have primary physical custody, with Pitt having “custodial time” with their minor children.

The “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” stars met on the set of the 2005 film, sparking controversy as Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time.

They welcomed three biological children, Shiloh, 17, and 14-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, in addition to their three adopted children, Maddox, 21, Pax, 19, and Zahara, 18.

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in September 2016.

Two months later, Pitt was cleared of child abuse allegations stemming from an alleged incident involving Maddox, then 15, aboard a private jet.

Jolie later claimed she was scared for “my whole family” during their union.