Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's divorce has been messy by any standard. But the fight over their French wine estate, Chateau Miraval, has taken on a life of its own — and this week, Pitt scored another significant win.
The California Court of Appeal ruled that Yuri Shefler, the billionaire behind the Stolichnaya vodka empire, must now face Pitt's lawsuit in court. Shefler had previously managed to get himself dismissed from the case by claiming he had little to no involvement in the $64 million deal that made him Jolie's buyer — and Pitt's unwanted business partner.
The appeals court wasn't buying it.
The three-judge panel found that Shefler had personally guaranteed $39 million of his own money to secure the deal, sent Jolie direct letters thanking her for "accepting my offer," and directed his team throughout the entire six-month negotiation. His own staff referred to him internally as "The Founder" and "Mr. S" while managing the fallout from Pitt's reaction to the acquisition.
The court put it plainly — it would defy belief that a sophisticated businessman would risk nearly $40 million on a transaction he supposedly knew nothing about.
The backstory: Pitt sued Jolie in February 2022, claiming she sold her 50 percent stake in the Provençal estate without his knowledge or consent, violating an agreement between them that neither would sell to a third party without giving the other first right of refusal. Jolie's side has denied that agreement ever existed.
Insiders say the sale was deliberate. "Angelina knew Brad didn't want to sell to Shefler. Selling behind his back was spiteful," one source told the Daily Mail.
The case is far from over, but Shefler will now have to testify — and whatever happened behind the scenes of that deal is about to become a lot less private.