Johnny Depp’s business managers are fighting back.
Earlier in January, the Pirates of the Caribbean star filed a lawsuit accusing his former team at The Management Group (TMG) of mismanaging his earnings. In the jury-seeking suit, Johnny alleged the team had committed fraud, professional negligence and breach of contract, among other claims, and asked for more than $25 million.
Johnny’s former business managers claim the actor kept up a lavish $2 million-a-month lifestyle.
This week, TMG filed a complaint of their own, claiming that Johnny’s financial problems are all of his own making. In their lawsuit, TMG claims Johnny lived an “ultra-extravagant lifestyle that often knowingly cost Depp in excess of $2 million per month to maintain, which he simply could not afford”.
TMG are asking Johnny to hand over more than $560,000 in allegedly unpaid commissions and credit card fees. According to them, they warned Johnny several times about his unsustainable spending habits, and also advised him to get a pre-nup before marrying Amber Heard. Johnny ended up having to pay a $7 million settlement after the former couple split last year.
Johnny’s divorce battle with Amber ended in the actor agreeing to pay a $7 million settlement. Photo: Getty
Some of the many expenses TMG claim Johnny shelled out for include over $75 million on 14 residencies spanning the globe, $18 million to “acquire and renovate a 150 foot luxury yacht” and $3 million to blast the ashes of Hunter S. Thompson out of a custom-created cannon.
On his part, Johnny’s lawsuit accuses TMG of paying itself over $28 million in fees without his consent and failing to pay the actor’s taxes on time, which meant he was slapped with $5.6 million in fees and penalties. He also claims the company loaned funds to other people without his consent.
“In essence, TMG treated Mr. Depp’s income as their own, available to either TMG or third parties to draw upon as desired,” Johnny’s lawsuit states.
