13 February 2024 , 12:57
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Brad Pitt has sensationally accused his billionaire business partner of bullying amid his battle for his and ex-wife Angelina Jolie's vineyard.
The Hollywood actor, 60, has taken aim at Russian entrepreneur Yuri Shefle, 56, who took over Jolie's share in 2021. Pitt's ex, 48, sold her share for £50million ($64million) and now Brad is attempting to undo the 'secret' sale of the Chateau Miraval winery.
Brad claims he was "ultimately threatened" by the vodka tycoon, according to legal documents obtained by The U.S. Sun. "Shefler personally took action to foster his supposed partnership with Pitt after the transaction closed," per the filing.
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Angelina sold her share for £50million ($64million) (AFP via Getty Images)"Writing Pitt repeatedly to bully him into going along. Since acquiring Nouvel, Shefler has suggested a meeting between himself and Pitt to ‘discuss the way forward. At times, Shefler expressed his fervent desire to work with Pitt. At others, he threatened Pitt based on drummed-up charges of mismanagement at Miraval."
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Brad sued ex-wife Angelina in February 2022 after she sold her 50 percent stake in the business. At Los Angeles Superior Court, he claimed the sale was a breach of Jolie’s promise to offer him first refusal. Nouvel responded with a cross-complaint of $350million.
The latest legal battle comes after Brad was handed back 10 percent of Shefler's shares, making him the majority shareholder. The couple bought the vineyard in 2008, it sits on 1,300 acres. The couple reportedly paid approximately $21.5million (£17million) for the estate, but it's now valued at over $164million (£128million).
It has an entire pine forest, a lake, a moat, and a Romanesque chapel where Brad and Angelina got married in 2014. The main house has 35 rooms, including a gym, a home cinema, a spa, two pools, and a helicopter pad.
It comes after Pitt is said to be "walking on eggshells" around his ex-wife Angelina Jolie as he moves on with his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. Brad shares six children with the fellow actress, three are adopted - Maddox, 22, Pax, and Zahara - while three are biological - Shiloh, 17, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 15.
He is reportedly keen to introduce his new partner to his children, but ideally wants to "avoid drama" with their mother, who sources claim is "their best friend." Insiders said: "Brad's walking on eggshells when it comes to introducing his children to his new girlfriend. [Angelina is] not just the kids' mother, she's their best friend.
"Can you imagine what a meeting would be like between the kids and Ines?" the source told the National Enquirer. "No wonder he's in no rush to make the introductions!" The 60-year-old has been dating Ines since late 2022. His relationship with Ines seems to be going great, as the insider said: "He is in a loving relationship, his relationship with most of his kids is loving [and] he’s in a good place."
The insider told US Weekly: "All Brad wants this year is for his kids and himself to be happy." Brad has recently been in the news after two of his adopted children slammed him for his parenting. His son Pax, 20, called him a "world-class a**hole" on Instagram while his daughter, Zahara, 18, dropped her father's last name as she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Spelman College. Ines is reportedly Brad's first relationship since his separation from Angelina in 2016. The divorce was finalised in 2019.