Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie spar over child support, house loan

LOS ANGELES:  Brad Pitt on Wednesday rebutted claims that he had failed to support his children and accused his estranged wife Angelina Jolie of trying to manipulate the media in their long drawn-out divorce.

In the latest round of bitter accusations between the Hollywood power couple once known as Brangelina, Pitt’s attorneys said the actor had paid over $1.3 million in bills for Jolie and their six children since their 2016 separation.

In documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the attorneys also said Pitt had loaned Jolie $8 million to help her buy a new home.

Jolie’s attorney responded by saying that Pitt was charging Jolie interest on the loan for the new house and that the actress has had to shoulder most of the expenses for the children alone.

“What has been filed by Brad’s side today is a blatant attempt to obfuscate the truth and distract from the fact that he has not fully met his legal obligations to support the children,” attorney Samantha Bley DeJean said in a statement.

Jolie had said in a Tuesday court filing that Pitt had “paid no meaningful child support” since Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016.

Pitt’s attorneys said that Jolie’s claims were “a thinly-veiled effort to manipulate media coverage.”

Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and enjoyed a 10-year romance that had made the pair one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples. They have six children for whom she is seeking primary custody.

The “Maleficent” actress said on Tuesday that she wanted to expedite the divorce and return to single status by the end of 2018.

Pitt’s court filing said it was the actor, not Jolie, who first made the request to speed up the divorce.

The divorce filing, citing irreconcilable differences, triggered a bitter custody dispute during which Pitt was investigated and cleared of child abuse. Final custody arrangements have yet to be agreed.