Brad Pitt allegedly happy over $1.6M vineyard tax bill as it can give edge over Angelina Jolie's legal claim
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Brad Pitt got a £1.3 million ($1.64 million) bill for back taxes for his Chateau Miraval vineyard in Provence, France, but sources close to the 'Troy' star say he is secretly happy about the tax.
Daily Mail reported that the added tax amount has been slapped after it was found following an inspection that the Chateau Miraval vineyard’s valuation has been increased by £16 million ($20 million).
In a November ruling, the French tax court ruled that a $1.64 million tax is pending for Chateau Miraval from 2012 to 2015. During that time, Pitt's ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, was a co-owner before she sold her half of the chateau to the Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler in 2021.
Nevertheless, there has not been any allegation of tax evasion or criminality.
How can the increased tax bill be profitable for Brad Pitt?
Sources close to the star shared with Daily Mail that the additional tax has, in reality, delighted Pitt as it has given him an edge over his former wife Angelina Jolie in their ongoing legal battle.
The former spouses bought the French winery in 2008, which became one of the primary points of contention in their multi-million dollar divorce. As per the insiders, Pitt believed the increased valuation of the property reflected his investments in the property had paid off.
Moreover, the current tax billing will facilitate in negating another lawsuit by Jolie, which claimed Pitt has squandered money on vanity projects, including a pool and an ornate staircase.
A source close to Pitt shared, "Brad built this business from the ground up through blood, sweat, and tears with his business partner Marc Perrin."
They added, "Angelina may be one of the world's most recognizable women, but you couldn't say entrepreneurship is her strong point. She couldn't run a bath, let alone a wine estate."
"The court has ruled that, far from spending money recklessly, every euro invested in Chateau Miraval has translated into an increase in value of the same amount," further claimed the source.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married at Chateau Miraval
Once dubbed the power couple of Hollywood, Pitt and Jolie shocked the world in August 2016 when they announced their separation. However, just two years prior in August 2014, the couple tied the knot in France's Chateau Miraval after dating for almost a decade.
The couple's six children were present at the exquisite locale for the ceremony.
Following the divorce, the 'Maleficent' star got custody of their six children - Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 18, Shiloh, 17, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 15.
In a recent interview with Wall Street Journal, Jolie chronicled the heartbreak and pain the family had to undergo following the messy divorce and said, "We had to heal. There are things we needed to heal from."
