BRAD Pitt has accused his Russian billionaire business rival of trying to “bully” and “intimidate” him with smears in his battle for the movie star’s French vineyard.
The Oscar winner, 60, is currently fighting vodka tycoon Yury Shefler, 56, in court for control of the Chateau Miraval winery he once owned with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.
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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie bought the Chateau Miraval property in Provence, southern France in 2008 for $28.4 million and got married there in 2014.Credit: Getty
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The 1,300-acre estate is at the center of a bitter court battle between Brad Pitt and Russian businessman Yury SheflerCredit: AFP
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Vodka tycoon Yury Shefler’s business empire includes famous brands like StolichnayaCredit: RIA Novosti
Pitt is trying to cancel the 2021 sale of Jolie’s $64 million stake in the vineyard to Shefler through her investment company Nouvel.
The actor claims in new court documents that, after “secretly” purchasing Nouvel, Shefler unilaterally issued a press release announcing their “partnership” and then demanded Ask the couple to meet to talk.
The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star said he was “ultimately threatened” if he did not cooperate.
Legal documents exclusively obtained by The US Sun say: “Shefler personally acted to promote his alleged relationship with Pitt after the transaction closed, writing to Pitt multiple times to Bullying him into agreeing.”
The regulatory filing adds: “Since acquiring Nouvel, Shefler has requested a meeting between himself and Pitt to ‘discuss the path forward’…
“At one point, Shefler expressed a strong desire to work with Pitt.
“Elsewhere, he threatened Pitt based on allegations of mismanagement at Miraval.”
The claims were made by Pitt’s attorney in a filing earlier this month in Los Angeles Superior Court.
He said the 2021 deal violated Jolie’s earlier promise to give him first refusal if she sold out.
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Pitt sued Jolie in February 2022 over the sale of Nouvel and 50% of Chateau Miraval to a business group controlled by Shefler.
In September of that year, Nouvel counterattacked Pitt with a cross-complaint and demanded $350 million in damages.
Pitt’s legal team claims that Shefler – whose business empire owns the Stolichnaya vodka brand – is trying to cash in on the star’s “Hollywood celebrity”.
New court documents allege that the businessman wanted to “seek a partnership between Pitt and Jolie – two famous figures in California – to profit from Pitt’s fame”.
The papers also show an example of a letter from Shefler to Pitt on December 11, 2021.
“However, Shefler warned, if Pitt does not give in to his wishes, Shefler will ‘protect his interests and will not hesitate to carry out that process until the last minute.’
“And he has made good on that threat: since the transaction, Shefler has leveraged Nouvel – the California LLC he now controls – to sue Pitt and attempt a hostile takeover of Château Miraval. ”
Shefler claimed the California court did not have full jurisdiction over the matter.
His legal team has previously described Pitt as “an actor, not a winemaker” and added that he is “in the business of illusion, not dirt”.
Meanwhile, a European court recently reportedly gave Pitt a partial victory by stripping Shefler of his 10% stake, making Pitt once again the majority shareholder.
A court in Luxembourg – where Chateau Miraval’s holding company is headquartered – awarded control of the shares Pitt gifted to Jolie in 2013 to a court-appointed receiver.
Pitt and Jolie bought a 1,300-acre property in Provence, southern France, in 2008 for $28.4 million and got married there in 2014.
The vineyard was highly profitable and even produced an award-winning rosé.
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The former Hollywood power couple – who have six children together – broke up in 2016 but have not yet completed the divorce process.
It is believed the deal could finally close after the couple filed financial documents with the court last week.
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt broke up in 2016 but have not yet completed the divorce processCredit: Getty
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Chateau Miraval, seen here in an aerial photo, produces an award-winning sparkling roséCredit: AFP – Getty
