Brad Pitt has achieved a legal triumph over his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, marking his first positive outcome in court since the fall of 2001. The Luxembourg court ruled in his favor, granting him temporary control over the most valuable asset – Chateau Miraval and the vineyards with the adjoining winery, the value of which amounts to $500 million.
This significant development, reported by Page Six, follows a complex legal battle that has spanned over three years.
The intricate case revolves around the ownership of Chateau Miraval, which Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie purchased in 2008 during their marriage.
Initially, Brad acquired 60% of the property, asserting that he used his funds for the purchase. Subsequently, in a gesture of equal partnership, he gratuitously transferred an additional 10% to Jolie.
However, with the initiation of their divorce in the fall of 2016, Brad and his legal team argued that the divorce automatically nullified the earlier transfer of the extra 10% to Jolie. In a surprising turn of events in late 2021, Angelina sold her share of Chateau Miraval to Yuri Schefler, the owner of the Stoli company, without informing Brad.
It was revealed that Angelina had informed the buyer that she owned half of the castle and vineyards. Brad attempted to challenge the sale, citing an alleged agreement not to sell their shared property without mutual consent. Unfortunately, the agreement was verbal and could not be substantiated in court.
The California court, where the actor initially applied, ruled in favor of Jolie, upholding the sale of half of the French property of the former spouses.
But Brad did not stop there. He initiated a new similar lawsuit in another court, this time in Luxembourg, where the company through which Pitt acquired the castle is registered. And now, the actor finally got what he wanted.
The decision to allocate an additional 10 percent as directed by Angelina was deemed an unlawful act. As a result, the court annulled the deal for the sale of her share of the castle with vineyards.
However, Brad may not have much reason to rejoice in his victory. As stated in the ruling, this decision should be considered temporary, pending the final resolution of the dispute over the division of Pitt and Jolie’s French property.