Amber Heard has lost the defamation lawsuit brought against her by Johnny Depp and now, there are reports that she’s broke as a result of mounting legal fees and lavish spending.
According to the New York Post;
Amber Heard can’t pay the $10.4 million she owes Johnny Depp, her lawyer revealed Thursday — as sources told The Post the actress is “broke” due to hefty legal fees associated with the bombshell defamation trial.
“Oh, no, absolutely not,” Heard’s attorney Elaine Bredehoft told NBC’s “Today” when asked if the actress had the means to cover the hefty judgment handed down by the jury on Wednesday.
The high-profile court battle with her ex-husband has left the 36-year-old actress hurting for cash, according to sources, including one who also placed the blame on Heard’s past lavish spending, on travel, clothes, gifts and wine.
Multiple sources said the “Aquaman” star had to switch legal representation and is relying on her homeowner’s insurance policy to cover the cost of her current attorneys in the case.
The bill for Heard’s attorney has mostly been footed by The Travelers Companies under terms of the actress’s insurance policy, sources said.
I hope it’s all not lies that she’s gone broke just to avoid paying the Johnny Depp’s $10.4 million.
Here is how Depp can get his money.
It’s a common practice to sell judgments to collection companies for pennies on the dollar and would be an attractive option for Depp if he wants to be paid right away while still punishing Heard.
Depp could liquidate his judgment to a financial firm — traditionally in the neighborhood of 10 cents on the dollar, give or take — giving that company the right to settle with Heard or work to collect the full amount.
Though not the most potentially lucrative option for Depp, it could be his cleanest off-ramp: Depp gets a fast check and puts the matter behind him, while Heard struggles with a collection agency for some indeterminate amount of money and time.
The first step is to locate Heard’s assets — bank accounts, properties, vehicles, personal property, earnings statements — and “attach” the judgment via state courts. The case was tried in Virginia — and it’s a little more complicated to involve assets from another state, requiring legal cooperation between jurisdictions. But it’s doable.
Thus would begin the process of liquidation and foreclosure, enforced by the courts. Furthermore, if Depp decides to go after Heard’s future earnings, he could also compel the state where she’s working to garnish some or all of her wages. That means taking a cut of her salary on “Aquaman” sequels or any other projects she might line up.
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