Summary: Hollywood star Johnny Depp is now suing his former lawyers for $30 million in unlawfully collected fees.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor Johnny Depp is feeling cheated. He is currently in a legal battle with his former managers for money that he believes was unlawfully taken from him and now he is after his ex-lawyers. Depp is adamant he was cheated out of millions of dollars.
The Hollywood star is suing lawyer Jacob Bloom and his law firm for unlawfully collecting 30 million dollars in fees, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles. Bloom has worked with other stars like Nicolas Cage, Jackie Chan and Ron Howard. His lawsuit against The Management Group (TMG) is for 25 million dollars.
The lawsuit against TMG has brought to light details of Depp’s life that he would rather be kept secret. They claim he has failed to memorize lines for years, instead turning to the employment of a sound engineer to read his lines to him. They also claim the actor has an “ultra-extravagant” lifestyle that includes multiple luxury homes and a monthly wine bill of $30,000. They brought up these details to prove that his financial situation is of his own doing.
Bloom started working with Depp in 1999. Depp is accusing him of “unjust enrichment” and legal malpractice for collecting $30 million in fees from him. Depp further alleges that Bloom worked “in tandem” with TMG like a “fox guarding the hen house.” His complaint explains that Bloom and his law firm took out a “hard money loan” with a high-interest rate from a lender that they had a professional relationship with. The loan was on behalf of Depp but he insists they manipulated the terms of the loan to benefit them financially and to benefit the business managers at TMG. “This loan cost Mr. Depp millions of dollars in unreasonable interest, fees and voidable contingent fees, and was imposed on Mr. Depp without any of the protections that should have been afforded to a client when dealing with his attorney.”
The complaint goes on to allege that Bloom was submitting expenses to TMG without explanation. The documents state, “A former TMG employee who was the day-to-day manager of Mr. Depp’s account at TMG testified that [Bloom] submitted requests for expense reimbursement, with little to no supporting backup, which TMG would then pay, without question, from Mr. Depp’s funds. [Bloom’s] expenses and requests for reimbursement were never sent to Mr. Depp for review and approval.”
Bloom’s law firm, Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman, has hired Kurt Peterson to represent them. He said the firm is “extremely disappointed” that Depp decided to sue them. He added in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “The firm disagrees with Mr. Depp and his counsel on the law and the facts, and intends to defend the lawsuit vigorously.”
The lawsuit against TMG was filed in January, soon after his multimillion-dollar divorce from Amber Heard was finalized. That case is set to go before a jury next year. In his lawsuit against Bloom and his law firm, he is seeking compensation and a refund on the illegally taken fees.
Depp has retained Adam Waldman to represent him. The Department of Justice and IRS have opened criminal investigations into TMG. The SEC has also opened a civil investigation into TMG. The criminal investigations are focused on fraud and money laundering.
Do you think Depp has been swindled or is he just looking to recoup the money he wasted? Share your comments with us in the comments below.
To learn more about Depp’s problems, read these articles:
- New Video Allegedly Shows Johnny Depp Throwing Violent Tantrum
- Johnny Depp’s Ex-Managers Say Depp Abused Amber Heard
- Johnny Depp Claims Ex-Managers Used His Assets to Take Out Loans Worth $40 Million
Photo: flickr.com