Amber Heard’s attorney released a statement in response to Johnny Depp’s legal team’s claim that the actress didn’t donate the $7 million she received as part of their divorce settlement.
Amber Heard is speaking out about Johnny Depp’s legal team’s claim that she hasn’t donated the money from their divorce settlement to charities, as she promised she would in 2016.
According to a new report by The Daily Mail published Thursday, Jan. 7, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor’s lawyers say they intend to use the allegation as part of their efforts to appeal British High Court judge Andrew Nichol’s decision in Depp’s defamation case against The Sun. In that case, Nichol sided with The Sun, arguing in his decision, “Her donation of the $7 million to charity is hardly the act one would expect of a gold-digger.”
In a statement to E! News, the Aquamanactress’ attorney Elaine Bredehoft confirms her client has yet to fulfill the $7 million pledge she made to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the American Civil Liberties Union, citing financial reasons.
“Amber has already been responsible for seven figures in donations to charitable causes and intends to continue to contribute and eventually fulfill her pledge,” Bredehoft explains. “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.”
In a statement to E! News, a Children’s Hospital Los Angeles spokesperson says, “Due to circumstances of the litigation, CHLA is legally precluded from sharing details about the case publicly.”
The ACLU did not return requests for comment.
Bredehoft also alleges that Depp’s legal representatives are purposefully speculating about the status of Heard’s donation to draw focus away from the actor’s ongoing legal woes.
She claims, “Mr. 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 and violence.”
Following Judge Nichol’s decision, Depp was asked to exit his role as Grindelwald in the film Fantastic Beasts. While he’s no longer starring in the Warner Bros. film, The Hollywood Reporter wrote at the time that Depp will still receive the full salary for the project.
Mads Mikkelsen is now set to apprise the rolein the third installment of the movie, which is based on J.K. Rowling’s books.
Meanwhile, Depp is currently suing Heard for defamation in the British High Court, arguing that the actress’ allegations of domestic abuse in The Washington Post were all part of an “elaborate hoax.” Because of the alleged damage her accusations caused his career, Depp is suing Heard for defamation and asking for damages in excess of $50,000,000. Amber denied the allegations, with her attorney claiming to E! News that Depp was trying to “silence” her.
E! News reached out to Depp’s rep and legal team for comment. They did not hear back.