Brad Pitt Accuses Russian Oligarch of 'Bullying' Him in Legal Battle Over Winery

Brad Pitt claimed Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler "threatened" and "bullied" him throughout their tense court battle over the actor's French winery, Chateau Miraval.

In February 2022, the Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood star filed a lawsuit against his estranged ex Angelina Jolie after she sold her shares of the business to Shefler. Pitt argued that doing so violated their contract, which stated they were both allowed to sell off their portions of the business as long as they obtained each other's permission regarding the new owner first.

Pitt has been attempting to void the $64 million business deal for two years, arguing that his former partner "sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval."

Now, in court documents obtained by a news outlet, the 60-year-old alleged Shefler "ultimately threatened" him if he didn't cooperate with their new partnership.

"Shefler personally took action to foster his supposed partnership with Pitt after the transaction closed, writing Pitt repeatedly to bully him into going along," the legal filing read. "Since acquiring Nouvel, Shefler has suggested a meeting between himself and Pitt to ‘discuss the way forward'."

"At times, Shefler expressed his fervent desire to work with Pitt," the filing continued. "At others, he threatened Pitt based on drummed-up charges of mismanagement at Miraval."

Pitt's legal team said that while Shefler initially "apologized for ‘catching Pitt by surprise by entering his Miraval Empire,’" the Stoli owner had also allegedly warned the Hollywood A-lister that if he did not "bend to his desires, Shefler would be 'protecting his interest and would not hesitate to take that process until the very end.'"

"He has made good on that threat," the court documents added. "Since the transaction, Shefler has leveraged Nouvel — the California LLC he now controls — to sue Pitt and attempt a hostile takeover of Château Miraval."

As OK! previously reported, Pitt and Jolie purchased the French winery in 2008 for $28 million. Six years later, they even had their wedding on the sprawling property. However, the former couple called it quits in 2016.

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The Sun reported the Pitt's allegations of bullying.