Kevin Costner’s estranged wife Christine Baumgartner may have been unsuccessful in getting more child support from the Yellowstone actor, but Kevin says she’s getting financial help from a new boyfriend.
Kevin’s Friend Gave His Ex-Wife $20,000, But Christine Says They’re Not Dating
According to court documents filed on August 30, which were obtained by Us Weekly, Kevin argued that Christine didn’t need additional child support, despite her request for more, and cited an expensive gift her new beau gave her as evidence.
“Christine’s attack [on me] is a smoke screen to deflect attention from her lack of candor regarding her own financial situation,” the documents argued. “Christine was forced to admit at her deposition that her brother recently gave her $80,000 and her boyfriend recently gave her $20,000,” it continued.
Christine took the stand last month during the child support dispute, where she was forced to answer a direct question regarding her connection with Josh Connor, a close friend of her estranged husband, after they were seen together on a trip to Hawaii earlier this year.
While testifying, Baumgartner stated that she and Connor shared a purely platonic friendship, denying they’re romantically involved. However, she did acknowledge that he had loaned her $20,000. According to Christine, she promptly forwarded half of the amount to her mother and returned the remainder to Connor.
Christine Lost Big In Her Child Support Case Against Kevin
Despite Christine’s denial that she’s dating Josh Connor, the court ultimately decided not to grant her request for additional child support.
Kevin, 68, will now provide Christine, 49, with a monthly sum of $63,209 to support their three children: sons Cayden, aged 15, Logan, aged 14, and daughter Grace, aged 12. Prior to the ruling, Baumgartner had been temporarily receiving $129,755.
However, she was arguing for $248,000, saying it was necessary in order to provide their kid with the luxurious lifestyle they deserve, though a court ultimately disagreed.
“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 lawyer’s filing originally argued.
The documents also highlighted that when the children are with their father, they often travel on private jets for extravagant vacations. The filing stressed the importance of Costner providing substantial child support to Christine to ensure that the children can enjoy similar vacations when they are with her.
Additionally, the submission included a list of other expensive activities and hobbies that the children are said to be involved in, including fishing, scuba diving, surfing, and volleyball, highlighting the expensiveness of each.
Christine’s team also used the former couple’s history of lavish birthday and Christmas parties to try and argue the kids are used to a more lavish lifestyle than Christine can provide without extra financial help from Kevin.
Though Kevin and Christine’s child support dispute has been settled, the exes continue to navigate their divorce and remain legally married.