ジョリーさん、「害与える」目的で権利売却　ブドウ園訴訟でピットさん主張

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】米俳優ブラッド・ピットさんが、元妻で女優のアンジェリーナ・ジョリーさんを相手取り、南仏のブドウ園の権利を同意なしに売却したとして訴えている裁判で、ジョリーさんは損害を与えることを意図してロシアのオリガルヒ（新興財閥）に権利を売ったとピットさん側が主張していることが分かった。（写真はアンジェリーナ・ジョリーさん（左）とブラッド・ピットさん。資料写真）
　ハリウッドの大物カップルだった２人は２０１６年に離婚を申請した。
　ジョリーさんは２１年１０月、２人が結婚式を挙げた南仏のワイン用ブドウ農園「シャトー・ミラバル」の権利５０％を、ロシアの富豪ユーリー・シェフレル氏が所有する飲料大手ストリ・グループ傘下のテヌーテ・デル・モンドに売却した。
　ピットさんは今年２月、双方は同意を得ずに権利を売却しないことで合意していたはずだとして、ジョリーさんを提訴した。
　ＡＦＰが確認した、ロサンゼルスの裁判所に３日に提出された修正訴状によると、ピットさんの弁護士は、ミラバルの権利売却を通じて「ジョリーさんはピットさんに損害を与えようとした」と指摘している。
　シェフレル氏については、ロシアのウラジーミル・プーチン大統領の取り巻きグループと個人的・事業上のつながりを持っているとしている。
　シェフレル氏自身は以前からプーチン氏を公然と批判しており、ストリ・グループの拠点はラトビアに置かれている。シェフレル氏はロシアのウクライナ侵攻開始後の３月、「プーチン氏に反対しているため２００２年以降、ロシアから追放されている」との声明を発表した。
　ストリ・グループはＡＦＰの取材にすぐにはコメントを返していない。
　内情に詳しい関係筋はＡＦＰに対し、ジョリーさんが権利の売却を決めたのは、子どもたちも含めてシャトー・ミラバルに「戻れていない」ためで、売却する前に複数回にわたりピットさんに打診したと話した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/06/08-15:42）

Brad Pitt has accused his ex-wife Angelina Jolie of seeking to inflict harm on him by selling her 50 percent stake in their French vineyard to a Russian oligarch with poisonous associations and intentions.
The allegations, made in new court filings as part of Pitt's lawsuit against Jolie over the sale of Chateau Miraval, are the latest barb in a bitter legal battle between the former Hollywood power couple who filed for divorce in 2016.
Last October, Jolie sold her share of the southern France vineyard -- where she and Pitt had their wedding -- to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Russia-born billionaire Yuri Shefler's drinks conglomerate.
Pitt sued in February, saying the couple had agreed never to sell their interests without the other's consent, and accusing Jolie of seeking unearned profits.
In an amended complaint seen by AFP, Pitt's lawyers argue Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt with the sale, and describe Shefler as a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions.
The filing received by a Los Angeles court last Friday alleges Shefler maintains personal and professional relationships with individuals in Vladimir Putin's inner circle.
Shefler has long been an outspoken critic of Putin, and his Stoli Group drinks conglomerate is based in Latvia.
In March, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Shelfer issued a statement saying he has been exiled from Russia since 2002 due to my opposition to Putin, and rebranded his company in solidarity with Ukraine.
But Pitt's latest filing says: Despite Shefler's desperate attempt to disassociate himself from the Putin regime, the Stoli brand is now a massive international liability.
It adds: Stoli vodka is synonymous with Russia, as the countless images of consumers pouring Stoli vodka down the drain make clear.
Since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Miraval's insurer has sought assurances that Shefler is not aligned with Putin and that affiliation with Stoli would not create commercial risk, the filing says.
The complaint also lists Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman within Shefler's alleged network of ill-reputed professional associates which threatens lasting harm to Miraval's reputation.
- 'False narrative' -
The Stoli Group did not immediately respond to request for comment.
A source close to the situation told AFP that Jolie decided to sell as she and her children have not been able to return to Chateau Miraval, and she had made multiple offers to her ex-husband before signing the deal with Shefler.
Pitt's lawsuit against Jolie was an extension of a false narrative and the truth of the situation has still not been made public, said the source.
Once Tinseltown's highest-profile couple, Pitt and Jolie first got together after co-starring as married assassins in the 2005 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time.
The A-listers announced in 2018 they had reached an amicable settlement over their children -- three biological and three adopted -- but any deal appeared to quickly fall apart.
Last July, Jolie scored a win in their custody battle as the private judge overseeing their divorce and custody matters was disqualified from the case.