Johnny Depp is accusing ex-wife Amber Heard of pocketing the massive $7m settlement from their divorce and repeatedly lying about giving it all to charity.
Heard, 34, declared that she didn't want Depp's money after their explosive 2016 breakup and vowed instead to split the payment between two charities.
But the actor's lawyers believe the altruistic gesture was a 'sham' and have spent the past year chasing the Children's Hospital Los Angeles and American Civil Liberties Union to find out how much they actually received from the actress.
The ACLU has so far refused to cooperate with multiple subpoenas but documents produced by the hospital and seen exclusively by DailyMail.com suggest it only received $100,000 – way short of the promised $3.5m 'gift'.
In fact, bosses at the renowned LA kids facility, which cares for sick youngsters regardless of health insurance or their ability to pay, became so concerned they wrote to Heard in June 2019 to ask 'if the pledge will not be fulfilled.'
Depp's lawyers believe the correspondence is the 'smoking gun' that proves Heard was lying when she boasted about the giveaway, not only in media interviews but in recent evidence she gave to a London court.
Johnny Depp is accusing ex-wife Amber Heard of pocketing the massive $7m settlement from their divorce while repeatedly lying about giving it all to charity, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal
Heard, 34, declared that she didn't want Depp's money after their explosive 2016 breakup and vowed instead to split the payment between two charities. But the actor's lawyers believe the altruistic gesture was a 'sham' and have spent the past year chasing the Children's Hospital Los Angeles and American Civil Liberties Union to find out how much they actually got
Edward L. White, a certified public accountant, wrote to Tiffanie Al-Nasser, a senior executive at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, enclosing a check for $100,000 (pictured)
In fact, bosses at the renowned LA kids facility, which cares for sick youngsters regardless of health insurance or their ability to pay, became so upset by the alleged snub they wrote to Heard in June 2019 to ask 'if the pledge will not be fulfilled' (pictured)
The Pirates of the Caribbean star lost a bruising defamation case last year against the UK's Sun newspaper when a British High Court judge agreed the publication's depiction of him as a 'wife beater' was 'substantially true' based on blood-curdling accounts of their numerous bust-ups.
Giving evidence in a witness statement dated February 26, 2020, Heard stated: 'I remained financially independent from him [Depp] the whole time we were together and the entire amount of my divorce settlement was donated to charity.'
Judge Andrew Nichol cited the gesture while deciding the case in The Sun's favor, writing: 'Her donation of the $7 million to charity is hardly the act one would expect of a gold-digger.'
DailyMail.com has learned Depp's team will seize upon the judge's remarks in their efforts to appeal the London verdict which left Depp's reputation and career in tatters.
The troubled actor, 57, is also plowing on with a separate $50 defamation suit filed in Fairfax County, Virginia, which accuses Heard of creating a 'hoax' account of being a domestic violence survivor for a 2018 newspaper article.
The Washington Post op-ed – headlined 'I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our culture's wrath, That has to change' - didn't mention Depp by name but he claims it wrecked his reputation and got him axed from his coveted role of Captain Jack Sparrow.
This week the Children's Hospital Los Angeles refused to discuss Heard's donations with DailyMail.com, insisting it was a private matter. The ACLU did not respond to our questions.
Heard's attorney, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, would not specify how much her client had given to either charity to date, saying only that she intended to fulfill the $7m pledge 'eventually'.
She blamed Depp for the delay, saying Heard has been forced to spend millions defending herself against 'false accusations' made against her in the ongoing defamation case.
Depp's lawyers believe the correspondence is the 'smoking gun' that proves Heard was lying when she boasted about the giveaway, not only in media interviews but in recent evidence she gave to a London court
However the Washington Post op-ed was not published until December 2018 and Depp didn't file his complaint until March 2019 – some two and a half years after Heard publicly declared she was giving away her divorce money.
Heard said in August 2016: 'As described in the restraining order and divorce settlement, money played no role for me personally and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves.
'As reported in the media, the amount received in the divorce was $7 million and $7 million is being donated. This is over and above any funds that I have given away in the past and will continue to give away in the future.
'The donation will be divided equally between the ACLU, with a particular focus to stop violence against women, and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles where I have worked as a volunteer for past 10 years.'
Days later, Edward L. White, a certified public accountant, wrote to Tiffanie Al-Nasser, a senior executive at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, enclosing a check for $100,000.
The check was signed John C. Depp II but White said in his letter that the donation was on behalf of Heard and was the first installment of a 'pledged gift of $3,500,000'.
Depp said publicly at the time that, seeing as his wife had pledged her entire $7m divorce settlement to charity, he would go ahead and start paying the money directly to the organizations involved 'in the name of Amber Heard.’
He backed off from sending further money on her behalf, however, when Heard suggested it would breach their deal and challenged him to double the amount.
‘If Johnny wishes to alter the settlement agreement, we must insist that he honor the full amount by donating $14m to charity, which after accounting for his tax deduction, is equal to his $7m payment obligation to Amber,’ her spokesman said in late August 2016.
‘We would also insist that the full amount be paid immediately and not drawn out over many years.’
She was also included on a 2017 donor's list recognizing contributions in excess of $1m
The hospital's thrilled CEO, Paul Viviano, meanwhile, thanked Heard for her 'tremendous gift' in a gushing media statement, saying it would 'support lifesaving treatments and cures … for critically ill children.'
She was also included on a 2017 donor's list recognizing contributions in excess of $1m.
But on June 26, 2019 Associate Senior Vice President Candie Davidson-Goldbronn wrote to the Aquaman actress asking to know why they had not received further installments.
'I am inquiring if you have knowledge if CHLA should expect further payment installment(s) on your behalf or if the pledge will not be fulfilled,' she wrote. 'I appreciate any insights on this matter.'
Depp's legal team are confident there was no further payments or correspondence because the hospital would have been legally compelled to hand it over.
Their subpoena demanded 'all documents that refer, reflect or relate to any donations made to you or for your benefit by Ms Heard from January 1, 2016 through and including the present.'
Adding to the confusion, DailyMail.com has learned of two further donations that the hospital received of $500,000 in 2017 and $250,000 in 2018, both in 'honor of Amber Heard'.
The funds came from an anonymous donor, however, rather than from Heard herself, and not from Depp.
The hospital’s June 2019 letter only refers to the initial $100,000, suggesting bosses did not consider the two payments part of Heard’s pledged $3.5m.
Depp and Heard met on the set of The Rum Diary back in 2011 and married four years later before a now-infamous blowout fight ended their marriage in May 2016.
Heard sought a restraining order and a divorce claiming Depp hurled a phone in her face but after months of back and forth accusations they reached a surprise deal.
Depp and Heard met on the set of The Rum Diary back in 2011 and married four years later before a now-infamous blowout fight ended their marriage in May 2016. Heard cataloged the 'horrific' abuse she claims to have suffered at Depp's hands, describing him as 'the monster' and recalling many of the allegations she made during their divorce. The filing included photos of bruises and scars (left and right)
Heard has included a horrifying photo of Johnny Depp's finger after he allegedly cut off the tip during a fit of rage in court papers filed in her domestic abuse case against the actor
She was asked about the divorce money during an October 2018 appearance on a current affairs show for Dutch broadcaster RTL.
'Seven million dollars in total was donated, I split it between the ACLU and Children's Hospital Los Angeles,' she replied. 'I wanted nothing.'
Bredehoft told DailyMail.com in a statement: 'Ms. Depp's effort to plant stories in the media criticizing Amber for not yet fulfilling all the donations she pledged to charity is yet another desperate attempt to divert attention from the UK Court's findings relating to allegations of Mr. Depp committing domestic abuse.
'Amber has already been responsible for seven figures in donations to charitable causes and intends to continue to contribute and eventually fulfil her pledge.
'However, Amber has been delayed in that goal because Mr. Depp filed a lawsuit against her, and consequently, she has been forced to spend millions of dollars defending Mr. Depp's false accusations against her.'
A spokesman for the Children's Hospital Los Angeles declined to answer a list of questions submitted by DailyMail.com, stating that 'as a matter of policy, communications with a donor are confidential.'
Reached by telephone a spokeswoman for the ACLU refused to discuss Heard's 'donations' and asked that our questions be submitted via email. She did not respond to the email.
Post a Comment