The Yellowstone-verse isn’t the only split that Kevin Costner is dealing with. This May, handbag designer Christine Baumgartner cited “irreconcilable differences” and filed to divorce him after 18 years of marriage. Per TMZ, Costner has now alleged in legal documents filed on Thursday that his ex has taken his “property without his knowledge or consent.” The filing also accuses Baumgartner of paying her divorce lawyer with one of his employee’s credit cards, which is “traditionally used for Costner family house charges” and paid by Costner. It further claims that she has been taking cash advances from other credit cards issued to house staff, and that she dipped into his property funds to pay for a criminal defense lawyer (no word on why she needed one, though). Costner also seems to suspect that Baumgartner planned the split, noting that their prenup says she’s allowed to keep her personal vehicle. His filing states that the couple had always leased their vehicles, yet Baumgartner bought an expensive car months before the divorce.
All these claims come just days after a judge tentatively ruled that Costner must pay $129,755 per month in child support. Both Costner and Baumgartner are seeking joint custody of their three children, who are ages 16, 14, and 13. According to Insider, Baumgartner initially asked for $248,000 to help maintain the lifestyle that the children have become accustomed to, though she later lowered her request to $217,300. Citing prenup terms, Costner reportedly argued that he shouldn’t have to pay more than $51,940. Per “Page Six,” he also accused Baumgartner of actually wanting the money for plastic surgery.
And that’s not even all of the drama surrounding this divorce. The pair have also disagreed over when Baumgartner has to move out of their previously shared home. Per Insider, Costner took legal action to get her to leave, and a judge eventually ruled that she had to be gone by the end of July. Baumgartner previously requested a delay until August 15 so she could find a place to stay in the current rental market. Given how fraught this breakup has been, we imagine that even when she and her belongings are gone, there will be plenty emotional baggage left behind.
