Brad Pitt pushes for Russian oligarch deposition as winery legal battle with Angelina Jolie rages on

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Brad Pitt is trying to get a wealthy Russian businessman investigated in court over his dealings with Angelina Jolie concerning their shared winery in France.

Court records show that actor Brad Pitt, 62, is requesting a judge compel Russian businessman Yuri Shefler to participate in a video deposition. This is part of Pitt’s ongoing legal dispute with his former wife, Angelina Jolie, 50, concerning their Chateau Miraval winery.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are locked in a legal battle regarding their shared ownership of a winery they bought together in 2008. Pitt is suing Jolie, claiming she sold her portion of the business for $67 million in 2021 without his approval.

Angie sold her part of the business to Shefler, who owns the company that makes Stoli vodka. This angered Brad, who claims they had an agreement that neither of them would sell their share without the other’s permission.

Okay, so here’s the latest in this situation. Brad Pitt’s legal team is saying that the other party, Shefler, is avoiding giving a sworn statement. But through our investigations, we’ve discovered that Shefler was actually the one pulling the strings behind the deal and insisted it go through. It’s becoming clearer who was really in charge here, and we’re determined to get to the bottom of it.

Therefore, Pitt is demanding that his lawyers be allowed to question the Russian businessman.

Shefler has reportedly opposed providing information, citing his residency in Switzerland. However, Pitt’s legal team claims emails prove Shefler and Jolie communicated directly about the winery sale, suggesting he possesses information pertinent to the current legal case.

In December, Brad Pitt won a significant legal case against his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, regarding their former winery in France. A Los Angeles judge ruled in his favor, essentially giving him an early birthday present in the midst of their ongoing dispute.

The judge instructed Jolie to provide emails and text messages she exchanged with her staff about the sale of the beautiful vineyards.

The ruling was handed down on December 17, 2025 – the day before Brad’s 62nd birthday.

The famous ex-couple are continuing to publicly fight, revealing details about their relationship as part of their bitter legal dispute over the vineyard where they got married in 2014.

I’ve been following this whole thing with Brad and Angelina, and it’s just gotten so messy. It started when Brad sued Angelina back in 2022 because she sold her share of their winery – the one that makes that amazing rosé. Now it’s just a constant back-and-forth of legal arguments and accusations, and honestly, it’s really sad to watch.

The current dispute centers on documents that Angelina Jolie claims are confidential under non-disclosure agreements. Brad Pitt, however, contends that these are simply routine, unprotected business discussions between Jolie and her team.

Judge Lia Martin has ruled in favor of Brad Pitt, ordering Angelina Jolie to turn over 22 documents within 45 days.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, emails will demonstrate that Jolie wasn’t truthful from the beginning about selling her share of the company.

Lawyers for the Academy Award-winning actor claim Jolie is improperly withholding key documents related to the case, and they are requesting the release of those 22 items.

Honestly, as a longtime follower of this case, I think Brad’s lawyers have a really good point. They’re saying that Angelina’s reasons for not sharing those messages just don’t hold up legally. It feels like she’s trying to hide something, and they’re calling her out on it.

Pitt’s lawyers dismiss that portrayal, deriding the pair as nothing more than ‘image consultants.’

Paul Murphy, representing Jolie, stated to the Daily Mail that they were unhappy with how the court understood California’s laws regarding legal privilege.

The court’s decision breaks the law and denies Ms. Jolie a fair trial. It’s another example of Mr. Pitt’s ongoing attempts to harass and control her, and we plan to appeal.

The documents feature discussions between Angelina Jolie, her manager Terry Bird, and close assistants Chloe Dalton and Lady Arminka Helic, focusing on the process of selling Miraval.

According to Pitt’s legal team, the hidden parts of the communication probably reveal Bird’s private opinions and instructions from Jolie about how to handle Stoli’s questions regarding the vineyard deal.

In one conversation, Dalton, Helic, and Bird collaborated on a draft letter to the actress’s lawyer, Laurent Schummer, who was based in Luxembourg. The letter concerned an important document related to the sale.

Angelina Jolie and Christian Helic first connected in 2012 while working together on a project to prevent sexual violence. At the time, Helic worked for William Hague, who was the British Foreign Secretary, and Jolie partnered with Hague on the initiative.

According to a source, Jolie viewed Helic as a mentor who was guiding her as she considered future political endeavors after leaving Hollywood.

As someone passionate about making a difference, I’ve always admired the work of foundations like Jolie Pitt Dalton Helic, which was established in 2015. It’s a really important organization dedicated to two critical issues: preventing violence against women and providing support to refugees. They’re truly committed to building a safer and more compassionate world.

Jolie maintains that having them there was ‘essential for me to get the legal guidance I required.’

Critics claim Jolie is disguising opinions and personal guidance as protected legal advice.

Pitt’s legal team is also requesting all communications between the actress and her financial advisors, Marjorie Brabet-Friel and James Friel.

Jolie stated under oath that the emails in question show exactly how she planned and carried out her legal strategy, including writing replies and reviewing advice from her lawyers.

She stated she removed sections of the document line by line, specifically deleting any parts that only contained the attorney’s own thoughts, interpretations, or notes.

Her team maintains the documents were part of a legitimate legal approach, dismissing accusations from Pitt that they were just rumors. However, the judge’s decision now undermines that explanation.

This legal dispute has escalated to the point where financial penalties are now a real possibility.

Jolie’s legal team has consistently told Pitt they will request penalties against him and his attorneys if he continues with his current legal approach. They consider his request to the court unnecessary and rushed, as it was submitted before all necessary negotiations had taken place.

As a longtime supporter of Jolie, it’s really frustrating to see what appears to be a clear tactic from Pitt. It seems like he’s deliberately trying to change the focus, filing things right before important hearings about the documents I believe will prove the abuse she suffered. It feels like a way to distract everyone from the real issues and avoid accountability.

Pitt’s side insists the timing is irrelevant and calls the entire sanctions narrative ‘theatrics.’

Earlier this month, Jolie submitted a legal document expressing her dissatisfaction with the outcome regarding the French winery.

After their 2016 separation, Jolie willingly gave Pitt complete ownership of their family homes in Los Angeles and Miraval, without asking for any money in return. She hoped this would help ease tensions and improve their interactions following a very challenging and upsetting time.

Since then, my children and I have avoided returning to that property because of the difficult memories it holds related to our divorce.

After separating, my first priority was finding a new home for my children and me. We started by renting, with the goal of eventually buying a more permanent place.

I wanted Brad to stay involved in our kids’ lives, so I started looking for a house close to where he lived.

I had most of my money invested in Miraval, and I hadn’t requested any financial help, like spousal support, from Brad.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have six children together: Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and 17-year-old twins, Vivienne and Knox.

I was so shocked when I first heard about Brad and Angelina splitting back in 2016. They’d been together for twelve years, and married for two, but it all came crashing down after reports surfaced about an incident on a plane where she accused him of losing his temper. It was a really messy situation, and honestly, I didn’t expect it to drag on for as long as it did – it took a full eight years for their divorce to actually be finalized!

Their kids have all sided with Angelina, with most of them dropping the last name Pitt. 

With a lot of new legal filings submitted, Judge Martin scheduled a trial to begin on February 1, 2027, and requested both sides participate in mediation on October 28, 2026.

Jolie could be sued for financial losses if she doesn’t reverse her agreement with Shefler to sell her share of Miraval.

Earlier this year, she faced another setback when the court ordered her to hand over all non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) she signed with outside parties between 2014, the year of her marriage, and 2022.

Brad Pitt has won several court cases related to the winery, including an important ruling in Luxembourg that temporarily restores his control of the successful vineyard while the legal process continues.

In March 2025, the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed claims that his lawsuit was without merit, intended to cause harm, and indicative of a troubling trend.

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2026-03-17 18:22