Kevin Costner claims ex Christine Baumgartner charged ‘a car, cash advances, and legal fees’ on his employees’ credit cards… amid ugly divorce war
Kevin Costner claims his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner charged expensive personal items on his employees’ credit cards without his knowledge.
The Yellowstone star, 68, alleges that Baumgartner’s, 49, charges included a ‘car, cash advances and legal fees’ in documents obtained by Us Weekly.
Baumgartner reportedly ‘charged additional attorney’s fees to the office of Susan Wiesner on the credit card of an employee which is traditionally used for Costner family house charges and paid by Respondent’ after she ‘filed her RFO for attorneys’ fees and costs’ according to the documents.
It’s also alleged Christine – who filed for divorce from Kevin after 18 years of marriage – has been ‘taking cash advances’ on a number of credit cards ‘issued not to her but to staff members’ without Costner’s ‘knowledge or consent.’
Costner also claims that though the couple always ‘leased their automobiles’, Baumgartner recently purchased ‘an expensive vehicle of personal use.’
The latest: Kevin Costner claims his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner charged expensive personal items on his employees’ credit cards without his knowledge; They are seen in 2022
The purchase took place prior to their April separation, which the actor believes points to the fact that his ex ‘had been planning her exit long before’ she told him she wanted to end their marriage.
Due to the pair’s premarital agreement she is entitled to keep her own personal vehicle in the event of a divorce, according to Costner’s attorneys.
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner in May, citing irreconcilable differences and listing their date of separation as April 11.
It comes after Costner was unable to make it to a court date this week due to a preplanned vacation with his three children as his estranged wife was awarded $129K-per-month child support amid their ugly divorce war.
He had previously declared that he would not be able to make it to a court date this Wednesday, July 12 as he would be on a previously scheduled trip to British Columbia, Canada with his kids according to People.
According to the site, the vacation north of the border with his younger three children – daughter Grace, 13, and sons Hayes, 14, and Cayden, 16 – had been ‘planned for months’ before the court date had been recently rescheduled.
Kevin and Christine share custody of the kids as the actor’s legal team said in the documents: ‘The children are teenagers and may come and go between his home and Christine’s home once she finds a new residence.’
The actor also has three adult children – Annie, 39, Lily, 36, and Joe, 35 – with ex-wife Cindy SIlva in addition to 26-year-old Liam with former partner Bridget Rooney.
This comes as it was revealed that he is on the hook for six-digit monthly payments after a judge ruled on a tentative child support arrangement.
The actor has been ordered to pay his estranged wife a whopping $129,755 per month in child support payments.
That means the figure is considerably more than double what Costner had originally offered his ex, though it is also only a little over half of what she had been asking for.
Charges: The Yellowstone star, 68, alleges that Baumgartner’s, 49, charges included a ‘car, cash advances and legal fees’ in documents obtained by Us Weekly; Pictured 2014
New car: Costner also claims that his ex recently purchased ‘an expensive vehicle of personal use.’ Due to the pair’s premarital agreement she is entitled to keep her vehicle in the event of a divorce, according to Costner’s attorneys; Pictured 2013
The decision comes after Baumgartner was ordered to vacate Costner’s mansion by July 31.
The details of the couples prenuptial agreement reportedly required her to move out within 30 days of either party filing for a divorce, a deadline she had missed after she was the first to file.
She previously said in court filings that she would leave the estate on August 31, following the results of a court date originally scheduled for July 12, though it is unclear if that hearing is still on the books.
In the documents, Baumgartner agreed to vacate the premises at the end of August as long as Costner complied ‘with whatever support and fee orders that the court makes on July 12,’ according to TMZ.
The latest decision stipulates that both Costner and his ex with split their children’s healthcare costs 50–50.
They will also be splitting expenses down the middle for the kids’ pricy private school tuition, as well as their extracurricular activities, which includes sports.
Baumgartner had been trying to avoid paying those expenses all together, as she previously requested in filings that her ex cover them completely.
The $129,755 figure isn’t set in stone, and both Costner and Baumgartner will have a chance to challenge it at a future hearing in hopes of pushing it closer to their desired support amount.
However, TMZ notes that the final figure rarely changes much from the initial determination.
Costner also incurred additional expenses after the judge ordered him to pay $200,000 for his estranged wife’s attorney fees, along with an additional $100,000 for forensic costs.
Bond: It comes after Costner was unable to make it to a court date on Wednesday, July 12, due to a preplanned vacation with his three children in British Columbia, Canada according to People; he is seen in February
Family first: According to the site, the vacation north of the border with his younger three children – daughter Grace, 13, and sons Hayes, 14, and Cayden, 16 – had been ‘planned for months’ before the court date had been recently rescheduled; Kevin and kids are seen with his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner in Hollywood back in February 2015
Major expense: Costner will pay over $129K per month to his estranged wife, which is just over half of what she requested, according to TMZ; seen in 2013
The Waterworld star’s forensic accountant previously claimed that Baumgartner had spent more than $100,000 on cosmetic procedures, and that those past costs were factored into the amount ($248K) that she was requesting for child support.
His payments will have be due on the first of every month, though he will be credited for any payments he has already made since the start of July.
Baumgartner had also requested that the court order Costner to make the payments go out via an automatic transfer, presumably to ensure that they could not be late, though that request was denied.
Costner is being represented by the famous divorce attorney Laura Wasser, who reportedly served as an inspiration for Laura Dern’s lawyer character in Noah Baumbach’s critically acclaimed film Marriage Story, which earned Dern an Academy Award for best supporting actress.
Wasser has defended the validity of the prenuptial agreement in court, and it appears that the judge is inclined to agree with her, although it is not a done deal yet.
A hearing to address the document’s validity won’t happen until November, and Baumgartner is expected to continue challenging it.
Further court documents obtained by People are also stating that Kevin wants his estranged wife to pay for his legal fees.
He’s requested that Christine pay his $99,225 in legal fees, and court date for the matter is set for August 2.
TMZ previously reported that Baumgartner will also be forced to return $1.5 million paid to her by Costner if the judge determines that the prenup is valid, and she will also reportedly be forced to pay his attorneys’ fees for defending the document.
Baumgartner previously wrote in court filings that she was hesitant to leave her home without having a plan and funding in place, if only for the sake of her children, whom she doesn’t want to have to move multiple times.
She claimed that ‘Kevin wants me to rent [a] place without [a] financial plan in place. However, [I] have our three children to think about. It is contrary to their best interests to commit to rental that [I] may not be able to afford, particularly as that would ultimately lead to multiple relocations.
Split down the middle: The couple will split their children’s healthcare costs, private school tuition, sports and extracurricular activities 50–50; seen in 2015 in LA
Ugly divorce: The couple tied the knot after four years of dating in September 2004. Baumgartner filed for divorce in May after 18 years of marriage; seen together in 2014 in NYC
‘My goal has been and continues to be maintaining as much stability for our children as possible, which includes having the proper resources and plan in place so that [I] can establish [a] stable home for them, rather than making temporary and inconsistent housing arrangements,’ she continued.
Costner was not only the primary breadwinner, but the only person making money recently, and Baumgartner says in her filing that she has no income.
The Yellowstone star was on the hook to help his estranged wife relocate per their prenuptial agreement, but it was a relatively paltry sum for their lifestyle.
Costner would have paid her a reported $1 million to find a new home, but with California’s elevated home prices — particularly if she tried to stay near Costner — she may have had difficulty finding something similar to the luxury she and her children are accustomed to.
According to RadarOnline, Costner has deposited $1 million in Baumgartner’s bank account to get her to move out of his mansion, and he said he had previously given her $200,000 earlier in their marriage in line with their prenuptial agreement.
However, Baumgartner hasn’t touched the money, as she says doing so would rob her of her ability to contest their prenup’s validity.
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