'Fixer Upper' Stars Chip & Joanna Gaines SUED By Ex-Literary Agent, Questions Couple's Christian Morals After Alleged Book Deal 'Scheme
Dec. 7 2022, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
Chip and Joanna Gaines made an enemy when they allegedly crossed their former literary agent. The Fixer Upper married duo are being sued by their ex-book agent, who said the couple "concocted a scheme" to screw Vigliano Associates out of their $12.5 million deal — which, the lawsuit claimed, isn't very Christian-like, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to the legal documents obtained by TMZ, Chip and Joanna were repped by Vigliano Associates when they signed the multimillion-dollar deal in 2017, agreeing to knock out 5 books for HarperCollins.
Vigliano claimed the TV pair agreed to cut the company 7.5% of any payment made to them — which they did for the first two books; however, that reportedly changed when they allegedly signed with someone else after delivering less than half of the deal.
In the documents, Vigliano accused Chip and Joanna of concocting a "scheme" to get out of paying the company its cut on the last 3 books.
As part of the alleged "scheme," the reality stars reportedly tried to amend the contract by attempting to kill one book from the deal.
Chip and Joanna are also accused of trying to switch the author from her name to his on the two remaining books. Vigliano admitted that its agreement only covered Joanna-authored material; therefore, the move would eliminate the company's profit on the last two books.
To add insult to injury, Joanna's ex-agent accused her of signing a deal with another literary rep, arguing the money from Joanna's book The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters should actually go to Vigliano.
The company is suing Chip and Joanna for at least $1 million in damages.
Making matters even worse, Vigliano questioned the Fixer Upper stars' religion and morals, writing in the documents that "Joanna and Chip Gaines brand themselves as moral Christians who purportedly operate in an ethical manner" — however, the company that allegedly got screwed claimed, "nothing could be further from the truth."
RadarOnline.com has reached out to the couple for comment.