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Battle of the exes. Brad Pitt filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife Angelina Jolie in February 2022, claiming that she illegally sold her shares of Miraval, a French company including a chateau and vineyard that the former couple purchased together in the south of France.

The Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars first gained a controlling interest in Miraval in 2008. They began selling their own rosé in March 2013 and got married at the chateau in August 2014. Pitt alleges that when Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, they both agreed not to sell their Miraval shares without each other’s permission.​​​

However, in 2021, the Girl Interrupted star sold her portion of the business to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli group, owned by Russian businessman Yuri Shefler. In his filing, Pitt argues that his ex-wife made the business decision without his knowledge or consent.

“She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the lawsuit claims. The February 2022 filing refers to Shefler as “an aggressive third-party competitor.”

Us Weekly reported in February that the Burn After Reading actor tried to purchase his ex-wife’s stake in the company before she sold it. A source exclusively explained that the Maleficent star “made the negotiations difficult and was not being fair.” According to the insider, Pitt was “blindsided” when he learned that Jolie had sold her shares in October 2021. “He assumed they’d work it out because she knows how important the winery is to him,” the source said.

In June 2022, the Fight Club actor’s lawyers claimed that Jolie made the decision to sell her shares knowing it would negatively impact her ex-husband‘s business standing.

“Through the purported sale, Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt. Jolie knew and intended that Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business Pitt had built and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the filing alleged. It continued to claim that Shefler “has gained notoriety through cutthroat business tactics and dubious professional associations” and that the association with the Russian oligarch “jeopardizes the reputation of the brand Pitt so carefully built.”

The Ocean’s Eleven star is seeking damages and requesting that Jolie’s sale to Shefler be declared illegal.

Pitt and Jolie met on the set of their film Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004 when the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star was still married to Jennifer Aniston. The costars wed in 2014 at an intimate ceremony attended by close friends and family. They were both declared legally single in 2019, three years after Jolie filed for divorce. The exes share six children together: Maddox, born in 2001, Pax, born in 2003, Zahara, born in 2005, Shiloh, born in 2006, and twins Knox and Vivienne, born in 2008.

In addition to the ongoing legal battle regarding the winery, the former couple are also still working out the details of a custody arrangement.

“It’s very clear to him [Pitt] that Angie has gone out of her way to delay and stall the process,” a source exclusively told Us in February 2022. “All he can do is work with his legal team and file the paperwork whilst responding to her claims. Month after month goes by with one piece of red tape after another, endless jumping through hoops and bickering between their lawyers with no resolution.”

Scroll through for a rundown on the Miraval saga thus far:

Battle of the exes. Brad Pitt filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife Angelina Jolie in February 2022, claiming that she illegally sold her shares of Miraval, a French company including a chateau and vineyard that the former couple purchased together in the south of France. The Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars first gained a controlling interest in Miraval in 2008. They began selling their own rosé in March 2013 and got married at the chateau in August 2014. Pitt alleges that when Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, they both agreed not to sell their Miraval shares without each other’s permission.​​​ However, in 2021, the Girl Interrupted star sold her portion of the business to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli group, owned by Russian businessman Yuri Shefler. In his filing, Pitt argues that his ex-wife made the business decision without his knowledge or consent. “She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the lawsuit claims. The February 2022 filing refers to Shefler as “an aggressive third-party competitor.” [jwplayer xKRkOVsV-zhNYySv2] Us Weekly reported in February that the Burn After Reading actor tried to purchase his ex-wife's stake in the company before she sold it. A source exclusively explained that the Maleficent star “made the negotiations difficult and was not being fair.” According to the insider, Pitt was “blindsided” when he learned that Jolie had sold her shares in October 2021. “He assumed they’d work it out because she knows how important the winery is to him,” the source said. In June 2022, the Fight Club actor's lawyers claimed that Jolie made the decision to sell her shares knowing it would negatively impact her ex-husband's business standing. “Through the purported sale, Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt. Jolie knew and intended that Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business Pitt had built and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the filing alleged. It continued to claim that Shefler “has gained notoriety through cutthroat business tactics and dubious professional associations” and that the association with the Russian oligarch “jeopardizes the reputation of the brand Pitt so carefully built.” The Ocean's Eleven star is seeking damages and requesting that Jolie's sale to Shefler be declared illegal. Pitt and Jolie met on the set of their film Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004 when the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star was still married to Jennifer Aniston. The costars wed in 2014 at an intimate ceremony attended by close friends and family. They were both declared legally single in 2019, three years after Jolie filed for divorce. The exes share six children together: Maddox, born in 2001, Pax, born in 2003, Zahara, born in 2005, Shiloh, born in 2006, and twins Knox and Vivienne, born in 2008. In addition to the ongoing legal battle regarding the winery, the former couple are also still working out the details of a custody arrangement. “It’s very clear to him [Pitt] that Angie has gone out of her way to delay and stall the process,” a source exclusively told Us in February 2022. “All he can do is work with his legal team and file the paperwork whilst responding to her claims. Month after month goes by with one piece of red tape after another, endless jumping through hoops and bickering between their lawyers with no resolution.” Scroll through for a rundown on the Miraval saga thus far: [podcast_block]

Battle of the exes. Brad Pitt filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife Angelina Jolie in February 2022, claiming that she illegally sold her shares of Miraval, a French company including a chateau and vineyard that the former couple purchased together in the south of France. The Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars first gained a controlling interest in Miraval in 2008. They began selling their own rosé in March 2013 and got married at the chateau in August 2014. Pitt alleges that when Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, they both agreed not to sell their Miraval shares without each other’s permission.​​​ However, in 2021, the Girl Interrupted star sold her portion of the business to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli group, owned by Russian businessman Yuri Shefler. In his filing, Pitt argues that his ex-wife made the business decision without his knowledge or consent. “She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the lawsuit claims. The February 2022 filing refers to Shefler as “an aggressive third-party competitor.” [jwplayer xKRkOVsV-zhNYySv2] Us Weekly reported in February that the Burn After Reading actor tried to purchase his ex-wife's stake in the company before she sold it. A source exclusively explained that the Maleficent star “made the negotiations difficult and was not being fair.” According to the insider, Pitt was “blindsided” when he learned that Jolie had sold her shares in October 2021. “He assumed they’d work it out because she knows how important the winery is to him,” the source said. In June 2022, the Fight Club actor's lawyers claimed that Jolie made the decision to sell her shares knowing it would negatively impact her ex-husband's business standing. “Through the purported sale, Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt. Jolie knew and intended that Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business Pitt had built and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” the filing alleged. It continued to claim that Shefler “has gained notoriety through cutthroat business tactics and dubious professional associations” and that the association with the Russian oligarch “jeopardizes the reputation of the brand Pitt so carefully built.” The Ocean's Eleven star is seeking damages and requesting that Jolie's sale to Shefler be declared illegal. Pitt and Jolie met on the set of their film Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004 when the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star was still married to Jennifer Aniston. The costars wed in 2014 at an intimate ceremony attended by close friends and family. They were both declared legally single in 2019, three years after Jolie filed for divorce. The exes share six children together: Maddox, born in 2001, Pax, born in 2003, Zahara, born in 2005, Shiloh, born in 2006, and twins Knox and Vivienne, born in 2008. In addition to the ongoing legal battle regarding the winery, the former couple are also still working out the details of a custody arrangement. “It’s very clear to him [Pitt] that Angie has gone out of her way to delay and stall the process,” a source exclusively told Us in February 2022. “All he can do is work with his legal team and file the paperwork whilst responding to her claims. Month after month goes by with one piece of red tape after another, endless jumping through hoops and bickering between their lawyers with no resolution.” Scroll through for a rundown on the Miraval saga thus far: [podcast_block]

Jolie and Pitt purchased the South France estate for $28.4 million in 2008. They began selling their own rosé in 2013 under the guidance of the Perrin winemaking family.

The couple exchanged vows at the Chateau Miraval after ten years together. All six of their children participated in the ceremony.

In September 2016, the Gia actress filed for divorce from Pitt after two years of marriage and 12 years together. “I separated for the wellbeing of my family. It was the right decision,” Jolie told Vogue India in June 2020.

Pitt claims that at the time of their separation, he and Jolie agreed not to sell their Miraval shares without each other’s consent.

In October 2021, Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Stoli Group, announced that it had acquired Jolie’s 50% stake in Miraval. Pitt would later claim that he was “blindsided” by the sale and had wanted a chance to purchase his ex-wife’s shares himself.

In February 2022, the Ad Astra star filed a lawsuit against Jolie, claiming that the Salt actress sold her Miraval shares without his consent in an attempt to jeapoardize his stake in the business. “Through the purported sale, Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt," the lawsuit reads.

Pitt is seeking damages and for Jolie's sale of her shares to be declared illegal.

Credit: Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP/Shutterstock; Erremaxphoto/Splash News

In July 2022, a judge denied Pitt's request to withhold business documents and correspondence from Jolie's legal team. "They are both very stubborn and this case is only going to get more complicated," an insider told Us at the time. "Brad was never given the option to buy Miraval. He would have gladly made a generous offer, but that was never afforded to him."

“Brad always dreamed of leaving Miraval to the children as part of the family legacy,” an insider exclusively told Us in August 2022, noting that his family has remained a top priority since his and Jolie’s September 2016 split. The Oklahoma native’s efforts to stay in contact with the kids, however, hasn’t eased his tension with the Unbroken director. “Angelina is angry that the public adores Brad so much when she feels he was very unkind to her,” the source said, pointing out that Pitt, meanwhile, has been “open and honest about his journey.”

In September 2022, a company owned by the Changeling actress filed a $250 million lawsuit against Pitt, per Page Six. The filing claimed that the Bullet Train star attempted to "seize control" of the French winery as a means of "retaliation" for his "divorce and custody proceedings" with Jolie. 

A source close to the 12 Monkeys actor dismissed the claims, exclusively telling Us, “Sadly, this is yet another rehash and repackaging of old material to try and distract from the other party's own behavior."

In a complaint filed in October 2022, Jolie claimed that she did give Pitt the opportunity to buy out her share of the winery, but he would only agree to do so if she signed a nondisclosure agreement "that would have contractually prohibited her from speaking outside of court about Pitt’s physical and emotional abuse of her and their children." When she refused to do so, Pitt allegedly "walked away from the deal."

Jolie also detailed Pitt's alleged abuse of her and their children on the September 2016 flight that led to her filing for divorce from the actor. "When one of the children verbally defended Jolie, Pitt lunged at his own child and Jolie grabbed him from behind to stop him," her legal team alleged in the documents. "To get Jolie off his back, Pitt threw himself backwards into the airplane’s seats injuring Jolie’s back and elbow. The children rushed in and all bravely tried to protect each other. Before it was over, Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face. Some of the children pleaded with Pitt to stop. They were all frightened. Many were crying."

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