Hollywood actress Amber Heard accuses her former husband Johnny Depp of paying millions of dollars in hush money to people that knew about his alleged physical abuse of the actress and other instances of Depp's violent behaviour. The Blast reported, citing court documents that Heard’s legal team has subpoenaed Depp’s former management company The Mandel Group (TMG), which represented the 56-year-old actor from 1999 until they parted ways in 2016 after a bitter dispute.
The Blast reported that Heard’s team is seeking records from TMZ including "payments on Mr Depp's behalf to conceal acts of violence, payments to witnesses who observed Mr Depp's violence and/or helped cover it up, and incidents of violence by Mr Depp". Heard’s lawyers claim that the company was aware of Depp’s violent behaviour and paid millions of dollars to members of the actor’s staff and security. Her legal team said these records are important as some of the people that they suspect were paid hush money, will appear as witnesses during a court hearing on the defamation case involving the former spouses.
Depp filed a $50 million suit against Amber Heard after she penned an op-ed in The Washington Post, in which among other things she spoke about domestic violence. Although Depp’s name was not mentioned in the article, the actor claimed that Heard implicated him as details of their divorce frequently appeared in the media. Depp previously asserted that he himself was a victim of domestic abuse and alleged that his former wife put a cigarette out on his face and severed his finger after throwing a bottle of vodka at him.
Heard’s lawyers also claim that Depp assaulted his other partners and filed a motion requesting Depp to submit his medical records concerning alcohol and substance use, which was granted. Depp's dated a lot of people so it’s unclear who the team is referring too. The Blast claims Depp's former partner wrote a letter in support of him, where she said: In all the years I have known Johnny he has never been physically abusive with me and this looks nothing like the man I lived with for 14 wonderful years".
