EXCLUSIVE: Johnny Depp demands judge unseal whistleblower testimony in fraud case against his ex-managers who claim the actor spent $75m on 14 homes, $18m on a yacht and $3m to blast author Hunter S Thompson's ashes from a custom cannon

  • Johnny Depp filed a motion demanding a whistleblower's testimony against his ex-managers Robert and Joel Mandel of The Management Group be unsealed
  • Depp said the company only wants the testimony and documents sealed to protect their reputation after they ran a 'global smear campaign' against him
  • TMG said Depp was responsible for his own financial woes which included spending $75 million on 14 homes and $18 million on a luxury yacht
  • Depp claims TMG diluted the court documents with irrelevant statements against him and the whistleblowing ex-employee
  • The 52-year-old 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star is $40million in debt 

By Kaileen Gaul For Dailymail.com

Published: 12:20 EST, 17 May 2017 | Updated: 13:03 EST, 17 May 2017

Johnny Depp filed a motion this week demanding the judge allow a whistleblower testimony be unsealed in his $25 million fraud lawsuit against his ex-managers.

The 52-year-old actor asked that the documents be unsealed for the public despite opposition from Robert and Joel Mandel of The Management Group (TMG), who he fired in 2016. 

In April, it was revealed Depp is $40 million in debt.

In Los Angeles County Superior Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Depp accuses his former business managers of launching a global media smear campaign against him.

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Johnny Depp accused TMG and his former managers of launching a campaign against him by including 'irrelevant' documents in court papers to paint him as financially reckless. He asked the LA judge that the whistleblower testimony be unsealed

Johnny Depp accused TMG and his former managers of launching a campaign against him by including 'irrelevant' documents in court papers to paint him as financially reckless. He asked the LA judge that the whistleblower testimony be unsealed

He said he paid the company $28 million in fees for legal, business, tax and accounting services to TMG from 1996 to 2016.

The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star accused the Mandels and TMG of negligence, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty for failing to pay his taxes on time resulting in $5.6 million in federal tax penalties and interest.

Depp says the managers loaned $10 million of his money to third parties without permission and kept messy financial records. He accused them of using his money to invest in business' the Mandels had a stake in.

TMG said Depp's financial woes were a result of his expensive lifestyle. They claim the actor spent $18 million on a luxury yacht and $1million to archive his Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia

TMG said Depp's financial woes were a result of his expensive lifestyle. They claim the actor spent $18 million on a luxury yacht and $1million to archive his Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia

The company also claimed Depp paid $3million to blast author Hunter S Thompson's ashes from a custom cannon (pictured). However, the actor said it cost $5million

The company also claimed Depp paid $3million to blast author Hunter S Thompson's ashes from a custom cannon (pictured). However, the actor said it cost $5million

His business managers claimed they took appropriate measures to manage the actor's finances and warned him about him his overspending multiple times. They blamed him solely for his dire financial situation alleging he spent $2 million a month to maintain his lavish lifestyle.

Depp said the whistleblower has information that could help his case. TMG filed a motion to seal the ex-employee's testimony

Depp said the whistleblower has information that could help his case. TMG filed a motion to seal the ex-employee's testimony

 TMG said Depp spent $75 million on 14 homes, $18 million on a luxury yacht, $1 million to archive his Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia and $3 million to blast author Hunter S Thompson's ashes from a custom cannon. 

Depp said he actually spent $5million on the cannon.  

Every month, TMG said Depp spent $30,000 on expensive wine, $300,000 on 40 full-time employees, $150,000 on security for him and his family and $200,000 in private jet costs.

Depp said he uncovered significant new information including documents and a testimony from a former TMG employee whistleblower. The employee, who was fired from TMG last month, said she could back up Depp's claims of money mismanagement by the company.

The actor filed docs to amend his complaint to add the new allegations but TMG demanded the documents be sealed in the case.

Depp demanded the court refuse to grant TMG's motion to seal the information and for the name of the former employee, the fact she worked on Depp's account at the company, that she was fired for complaining about TMG's mismanagement along with her statement that 'she knows all the dirt and all the thieves'.

Then on May 15th, Depp filed new docs demanding the judge allow this information into the case and for it to be public. 

The actor explains he learned through an internal message and other sources that the former TMG employee aka the whistleblower was aware of serious wrongdoing crucial to his claims against his business managers.

He argues the information reveals the depth of misconduct his former manager Joel Mandel undertook on behalf of the company. 

The lawsuit claims the Mandels (Joel and Robert above) mismanaged Depp's money. The actor accused them of using his money to invest in businesses which they had a stake in 

The lawsuit claims the Mandels (Joel and Robert above) mismanaged Depp's money. The actor accused them of using his money to invest in businesses which they had a stake in 

Depp alleges the unnamed whistleblower knew about the wrongdoing against him and that the testimony and her name should be made public. He said 'she knows all the dirt and all the thieves'. TMG and the Mandels asked for the testimony to remain sealed 

Depp alleges the unnamed whistleblower knew about the wrongdoing against him and that the testimony and her name should be made public. He said 'she knows all the dirt and all the thieves'. TMG and the Mandels asked for the testimony to remain sealed 

Depp says the only reason they want the information hidden from the public is because TMG is worried about their reputation. 

He said they do not like how it makes them look. He accuses them of including a wide range of inaccurate and irrelevant materials in their court documents as an 'attack pulpit' to smear him and the whistleblower.

He points out to an interview his ex-managers did with the Hollywood Reporter where TMG they claimed the whistleblower was a 'low-level clerk who promised revenge'.

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