Johnny Depp Sues ACLU Demanding Answers About Ex-Wife Amber Heard's $7 Million Donation From Divorce Settlement
May 19 2021, Published 10:50 a.m. ET
Johnny Depp has questions about whether his ex-wife Amber Heard actually followed through with her promise to donate to charity the $7 million she received in their divorce.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, last week, the actor's legal team filed a petition against the non-profit, ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).
He is asking the court to force them to answer questions. In the suit, Depp explains he is currently suing his ex for defamation in Virginia Court.
In the lawsuit, The Pirates of the Caribbean actor takes issue with an op-ed Heard wrote for the Washington Post in which she implied he abused her.
The court documents note, "In August 2016, it was publicly reported that Mr. Depp and Ms. Heard reached a $7 million divorce settlement."
Further, "Ms. Heard issued a public statement in which she claimed that she was donating the $7 million to charity, with the donation to be split equally between the American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles."
Per their divorce settlement, Depp was to pay his ex the $7 million divorce settlement in installments. The final payment was due on February 1, 2018. His lawyers say Depp paid the entire amount by the deadline.
Depp says he fired off subpoenas demanding Heard answering questions about whether or not she made the donation.
He says Heard has refused to answer the questions for several months.
Depp then issued subpoenas to ACLU and executives who work at the non-profit. He wants the court to force the organization to answer questions under oath about Heard's alleged donation. Further, he wants them to have to pay his legal bills in the case.
The latest action is the latest in a string of legal battles brought by Depp. He claims Heard made false accusations against him and ruined his career. She says the actor abused her multiple times.
In 2018, he sued the publisher of U.K. tabloid, The Sun. Depp accused them of tarnishing his good name by labeling him a “wife-beater.” The article detailed the numerous accusations of domestic violence by his ex-wife.
The high court ruled that Depp did not have a case. They found that 12 of the 14 alleged incidents by Heard had been proven to a civil standard.