Johnny Depp has come to an agreement over claims that his ex-business managers had swindled the Black Mass star out of more than $25 million, according to Deadline.
"As a result of years of gross mismanagement and sometimes outright fraud, Mr. Depp lost tens of millions of dollars and has been forced to dispose of significant assets to pay for [The Management Group’s] self-dealing and gross misconduct," read a 52-page complaint filed last year in Los Angeles Superior Court.
This agreement comes just a month before the two parties were prepped to duke it out in court.
The settlement came after "a long weekend" in which lawyers for both parties negotiated a confidential settlement. Deadline adds that both parties are "happy" with the terms.
The deal comes after Depp's attorney failed to get the Aug. 15 trial delayed (which is a rare request for the plaintiff's side to make after they asked for the trial in the first place), and also after a Rolling Stone profile was published that did not portray the actor in a flattering light. Deadline adds that Depp actually sitting down for an oft-delayed deposition this past May factored into the two sides coming to an understanding.
Now that the paperwork has been completed, the matter is expected to be resolved prior to the Aug. 15 trial date that will no longer be needed. This is something that will make Warner Bros. very happy, as they were reportedly not looking forward to a public hearing of the star who plays Gellert Grindelwald just months before the November Release of Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Anyway, now that this is rapped up, Depp (or, more accurately, Depp's legal team), can focus on the lawsuits the actor is facing from ex-bodyguards (who alleged drug use and unpaid fees), a countersuit from an ex-longtime attorney, and a lawsuit for assault and battery from a crew member who says Depp attacked him on the set of his upcoming Biggie Smalls movie, City of Lies, in April 2017.
