Kevin Costner claimed his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, has been deceptive about how much money she actually has in an effort to get more monthly child support.
The former couple came face-to-face in court Thursday to finally reach an agreement on how much child support he must pay her — and the “Yellowstone” star came out with guns blazing.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, Costner alleged that Baumgartner’s new boyfriend recently gave her $20,000 in cash.
While the filings didn’t name the mystery man, sources told the outlet that Costner believes she is dating his close friend Josh Connor, who was spotted vacationing with the former handbag designer in July. (However, sources connected to the two denied any romantic relationship at the time.)
Given the alleged financial benefits of her newfound romance and their current $129,000-a-month agreement, the 68-year-old actor argued that an increase in payment is unnecessary, per TMZ.
However, per People, Baumgartner and her lawyer denied she was dating Connor when she took the stand.
Costner — who claimed his ex has engaged in a “relentless jihad” against him — also doubled down on his allegations that Baumgartner only wants more child support money in order to pay for her plastic surgery, private trainers and “unallocated credit card expenses.”
In fact, he claimed that her plastic surgery bills alone total a whopping $188,500 a year and that she is planning to live off the stipend rather than work herself.
“She has no plans to seek employment or engage in any income-generating activity,” the filing claimed, per TMZ.
However, a day before the hearing, Baumgartner gave her own explanation as to why she is seeking nearly $200,000 a month from her ex.
The mother of three claimed she needs more cash in order for their children — Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13 — to “live a lifestyle relatively comparable to the one they enjoy when they are with their father,” per a brief obtained by Us Weekly.
“The Court order must allow the children to be supported at a level commensurate with Kevin’s considerable wealth, even if that level of support also improves the standard of living of Christine,” her legal team argued.
According to Baumgartner, that lavish “standard of living” should include a “comparable house” to Costner’s $145 million home and “luxury vacations” chartered on private planes.
“Because the children fly on private aircraft to go on luxury vacations when they are with their father, the Family Code dictates that Kevin should pay sufficient child support to Christine so that the children can go on comparable vacations when they are with her,” her lawyers stated in the brief.
And the former designer further claimed Costner has more than enough money to do so.
Earlier this month, Baumgartner claimed that the actor’s net worth quadrupled to over $400 million over the course of their marriage but that he has been “withholding” the information to get himself a more favorable ruling.
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner after 18 years of marriage earlier this year, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Since then, the exes have fought tooth and nail over child support, expenses and property.
In July, a judge ordered the dad of seven to pay his estranged wife $129,755 per month in child support — which was more than his $ 52,000-a-month proposal but significantly less than her request for $248,000 a month.
The “Bodyguard” actor was also ordered to cover $200,000 in attorneys’ fees and $100,000 in forensic costs. However, he claimed he has shelled out more than a million dollars since the divorce proceedings began.
