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Kevin Costner‘s contentious divorce came as a shock to fans — but he claims estranged wife Christine Baumgartner may have had a plan all along.
Costner, 68, continued to detail Baumgartner’s allegedly out of the ordinary spending in court documents filed on Thursday, July 13, Page Six reports. According to the actor’s lawyers, Baumgartner, 49, “has 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.”
Among the expenses outlined was an alleged $25,000 — taken from Costner’s property funds — paid to a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer and an expensive vehicle purchased months before the pair called it quits. (Costner previously claimed he was “required” to reduce his ex’s credit card limit to $30,000 per month due to her excessive spending.)
Costner’s attorneys argued that Baumgartner buying the car was a red flag because the now-estranged spouses often opted to lease their vehicles before their separation. Per the prenuptial agreement signed by Costner and Baumgartner before their 2004 wedding, she is entitled to keep her personal vehicle in the event of a breakup.
Baumgartner’s purchase was a sign that she “had been planning her exit long before she told [Kevin] in April 2023,” his lawyers claimed, further alleging that Baumgartner refused to agree that she wouldn’t swipe items from her and Costner’s home when ordered to move out. (Us Weekly previously confirmed that Baumgartner must vacate the property by July 31.)
Costner and Baumgartner share children Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13. Us confirmed in May that Baumgartner filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences and listing their date of separation as April 11.
In paperwork of his own, Costner noted that there was a clause in the pair’s prenup requiring Baumgartner to leave their shared home within a month of their split.
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Amid the messy back and forth, a source exclusively told Us that Baumgartner was “so angry” with Costner for “putting work ahead of the family.” When it came to the question of who should move out, the insider added, “Christine feels he should be the one to go.”
A second source, however, told Us that Costner’s perspective was “pretty cut-and-dried” regarding the dispute. “Christine wanted this split, so she should abide by the terms of their prenup [stating that she] had 30 days to move out after filing for divorce,” the insider said.
Earlier this month, Costner was ordered to pay Baumgartner $129,755 per month in child support. He also owes $200,000 in attorneys’ fees and $100,000 in forensic costs, per the interim ruling.
Baumgartner previously asked for $248,000 monthly to help in raising the pair’s kids, but Costner alleged in court docs last month that he couldn’t afford the specified amount because he “will earn substantially less in 2023” once his show Yellowstone ends.
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Us has reached out to Baumgartner regarding Costner’s latest claims.