The 'Bodyguard' actor slams estranged wife Christine Baumgartner for allegedly purchasing personal items using his credit cards and taking out cash without his consent.
- Jul 14, 2023
AceShowbiz - Kevin Costner alleges his estranged wife took his property "without knowledge or consent." The "Bodyguard" actor, 68, has been challenging his 49-year-old ex Christine Baumgartner's demands for a fortune in child maintenance, and after he was this week ordered to pay more than double his proposed amount, court papers have revealed his latest battle with the handbag designer.
The "Yellowstone" star claims, in documents obtained by Page Six, his ex bought personal items and took out cash with credit cards from the staff that runs the family house, and that he believes she devised this plan before she filed for divorce in May.
He said in the papers Christine has allegedly "shown a disturbing propensity in the last several months, both before and after separation, to take (Kevin's) property without his knowledge or consent, especially since this case was filed."
The documents, filed on Thursday, July 13, also alleged Christine paid a Los Angeles criminal defence lawyer $25,000 from her husband's property funds without his knowledge.
They also say the mum-of-three paid her divorce lawyer Susan Wiesner on the "credit card of an employee which is traditionally used for Costner family house charges and paid by (the actor)."
And the papers state Christine bought an expensive vehicle months before they separated. Kevin's legal team claims the purchase is evidence she had "been planning her exit long before she told (Kevin) in April 2023."
And his filing states his ex refused to sign an agreement stating that she would not ransack their home before moving out.
Christine has been ordered to vacate their $145 million mansion complex in Santa Barbara, California, by the end of the month after a judge reinforced the premarital agreement they both signed in 2004.
Kevin and Christine married at his home in Aspen, Colorado, in 2004, and signed a prenup that stated she would leave their marital estate within 30 days in the event of a separation.
The former couple, who both requested joint custody of their three kids, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13, have been arguing over child support payments as their divorce battle grows increasingly bitter.
Papers obtained by Fox News also showed Kevin must pay $200,000 in attorney's fees and $100,000 in forensic accountancy costs.
He and Christine - who filed for divorce in May after 18 years of marriage citing "irreconcilable differences" - will each be required to pay 50 per cent of their kids' health care expenses, sports and extracurricular activities, according to the court papers.
Christine had initially requested $248,000 a month in child support - aside from an undisclosed sum of spousal support previously agreed upon in the former couple's premarital agreement.
Kevin had claimed a "reasonable" amount of child support for Christine would be $51,940 a month - which is what he is currently paying.
