Brad Pitt is asking a California court to force the release of private messages between his ex-wife Angelina Jolie and an executive at the Stoli Group, alleging the communications could be key evidence in their legal dispute over Château Miraval, the French winery they once owned together.
In a June 30 filing, Pitt's legal team claimed that Alexei Oliynik, an executive at Stoli, has refused to cooperate with their requests for both a deposition and message records related to the winery's 2021 sale. Jolie sold her stake in Miraval to Stoli, a move Pitt says blindsided him and violated an agreement that neither party would sell without the other's consent.
Pitt accuses Oliynik of playing a central role in the sale, allegedly "acting at the direction" of Stoli chief Yuri Shefler and serving as a "key operative." His lawyers argue that the requested documents and communications would "shed light on the motives" behind the deal and help establish whether Jolie acted in bad faith.
Remote Deposition Dispute
Oliynik, a Swiss resident, has declined to appear, citing foreign protections against being compelled to testify in California. Pitt's attorneys argue this doesn't apply, since they're willing to conduct the deposition remotely from Switzerland.
Pitt said he has attempted to "meet and confer" with Oliynik without success and claims Stoli Group as a whole has dodged routine discovery procedures. A source close to the situation told Page Six, "Stoli has consistently chosen to avoid or challenge evidentiary court rulings... They've been failing to comply with the typical legal process."
The actor filed the lawsuit in 2022 after Jolie sold her $64 million stake in Miraval to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Stoli Group. Pitt alleges the sale was a retaliatory move during their tense divorce and custody battle. According to court documents, he claims that his company, Mondo Bongo, had a contractual right of first refusal to purchase her shares, which Jolie allegedly disregarded.
No Trial Date Yet
A judge has not yet ruled on the motion, and no trial date has been set.
Pitt and Jolie finalized their divorce in December 2024 after years of legal wrangling. They share six children, but sources say Pitt's relationship with them has grown distant in recent years. A source told Us Weekly the actor "still has regrets" about the outcome of the breakup, especially the impact it had on his family.
"This case is over, but there are no winners," the source added.
Originally published on Enstarz
