Actor Kevin Costner and his recently estranged wife Christine Baumgartner are still fighting over the terms of their soon-to-be divorce.
In new court documents filed June 30 in California, Costner, 68, claimed Baumgartner, 49, charged US$100,000 (C$132,060) in legal expenses to his credit card throughout May and June.
“Christine began charging large sums on the credit cards payable to her divorce attorneys and forensic accountants. She gave me no advance warning each time she did so,” Costner wrote in the legal filing, according to People magazine.
Though People reported Costner subsequently cancelled the credit card used by Baumgartner, Insider reported Costner instead lowered the spending limit to $30,000 (C$39,630) a month.
According to the June 30 declaration obtained by Insider, Costner wrote: “Christine says I have not maintained the status quo because I cancelled one of her credit cards and because I put (a large) limit on the use of the credit card she uses.”
“I agreed to maintain the status quo with respect to our children. I have done so,” he continued. “I have continued to pay for all of the children’s expenses since Christine filed for divorce. Christine does not claim that the children’s expenses have not been paid.”
Costner wrote Baumgartner “grasps at straws with one baseless argument after another,” prolonging their divorce proceedings.
He allegedly offered Baumgartner $65,000 for her legal fees but never received a response from her lawyers. Costner and Baumgartner have three children together: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 12.
The couple was married for 18 years. Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
The credit card limitation is only the most recent drama to emerge from the couple’s divorce proceedings.
Last month, Costner claimed Baumgartner was violating the terms of their prenuptial agreement when she allegedly refused to vacate his southern California house. The actor said the agreement, which was signed when the couple married in 2004, gives Baumgartner 30 days to exit the property after filing for divorce.
For her part, Baumgartner has still refused to move out of the multimillion-dollar estate until she and Costner reach a child support agreement. She has requested Costner pay $248,000 (about C$327,900) a month in child support, $350,000 (nearly C$462,900) in lawyer’s fees and $150,000 (about C$198,300) in forensic accounting costs.
Baumgartner, who claimed she has no income as a result of being a stay-at-home parent, also insisted Costner pay for their children’s private school tuition, extracurriculars and health care expenses.
Costner allegedly already paid Baumgartner $1.4 million (C$1.8 million) owed to her as a condition of their prenuptial agreement.
In a June 28 legal filing, Baumgartner said she would vacate Costner’s home on Aug. 31 if the ex-spouses reach a financial agreement.
Costner and Baumgartner are scheduled to appear in court this week.
Costner, who no longer stars in the hit TV series Yellowstone, is currently in post-production for his latest film Horizon: An American Saga, which he starred in, produced and directed.
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