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Amber Heard listens in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court. |
The ACLU's general counsel testified in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial in Virginia on Thursday that the foundation suspected billionaire Elon Musk of being behind a $500,000 payment to assist the actress in fulfilling a $3.5 million gift commitment to the group.
Heard has previously stated that she will share her $7 million divorce settlement with Depp between the ACLU and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.
However, in Depp's $50 million defamation suit against Heard, his lawyers are attempting to establish that Heard has not kept his promise to the ACLU.
On Thursday, excerpts from the group's chief attorney, Terence Dougherty's, video deposition were aired in court, and he stated that the organization had collected $1.3 million that has been attributed to Heard.
According to Dougherty, the Musk donation was made through a Vanguard fund set up to make philanthropic contributions. Heard received $350,000 from a Vanguard fund in August 2016, $500,000 in 2017, and $350,000 from a Vanguard fund in 2018. Heard was used for the later payment. Depp also contributed $100,000, which was credited to Heard.
Following her divorce from Depp, Heard began dating Musk.
Heard's donations ceased after 2018, according to Dougherty. "We found that she was suffering financial troubles," he added, adding that the ACLU reached out to her at one time. However, in a 2016 email to the group, Musk stated that Heard's contribution will be paid in increments over a ten-year period. Dougherty claims she never signed an official pledge form.
Depp's lawyer says that, despite the fact that the op-ed did not identify him by name, there was enough of a connection to harm his image, given her allegations of abuse against him.
Dougherty mentioned the ACLU's role in crafting the op-ed in his deposition. According to an email, as the op-ed was being written, Heard wanted to make a mention to her seeking a restraining order against Depp in 2016, but her attorneys refused. There was no reference given.
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