He had a stunning profession directing Oscar-winning blockbuster motion pictures, pocketing hundreds of thousands whereas working with the celebs of Hollywood.
However James Bond screenwriter Paul Haggis, who estimated he made $25million throughout his profession, now claims he’s broke and is price simply $500,000.
After being discovered chargeable for rape in a civil trial and ordered to pay $10 million final week, Haggis mentioned he could not afford the payout – and claimed he’s so broke he piggybacks on his daughters’ Hulu and Netflix accounts.
However it may be revealed {that a} sensational fightback is underway from Haggis’ camp.
A small crew of well-wishers within the movie enterprise will bankroll the 69-year-old as he appeals the choice.
The nameless group, ‘who’ve cash’ and are satisfied of his innocence, will fund his authorized motion as a result of Haggis says that the rape allegations have financially wiped him out.
Double Oscar-winner Paul Haggis, who estimated he made $25million throughout his profession, now claims he’s broke and is price simply $500,000.
A jury in a civil court docket trial ordered Paul Haggis (pictured, middle), 69, to pay at the very least $7.5 million to Haleigh Breest (proper), who accused him of rape
Haggis himself – who has labored on blockbuster motion pictures together with Crash, On line casino Royale and Million Greenback Child – has vowed to ‘die attempting to clear his identify’.
However attorneys for his accuser Haleigh Breest have branded the Hollywood writing legend as a ‘liar’ – saying: ‘Nothing Paul Haggis says will be trusted.’
In actual fact, lawyer Ilann Maazel informed the jury that Haggis has publicly ‘bragged’ about hiding his important belongings, estimating the filmmaker presently has greater than $3 million in his accounts.
Lawyer Zoe Salzman added that he’s ‘expert’ at hiding his belongings, whereas the person himself mentioned: ‘I am not an accountant. I do not understand how you calculate internet price.’
However his authorized crew strenuously deny claims he’s hiding his cash – in addition to the allegations of rape in opposition to him.
Legal professional Priya Chaudhry mentioned: ‘Individuals who have recognized Paul for many years – particularly those that have been within the courtroom and noticed the proof – know that the allegations in opposition to him are lies and the decision was not primarily based on the details.
‘These folks have vowed to help Paul together with his attraction.’
Authorized sources declare that Haggis didn’t get a good trial due to a jury that had been ‘woke-washed’ by the #MeToo motion.
‘You simply say: ‘Hollywood, Weinstein, #MeToo’ and the jury is able to discover you responsible,’ mentioned the supply.
‘It is a “consider all ladies” surroundings and down with the outdated, with out regard to the proof… it is a chilling state of affairs. Each man who has cash in Hollywood needs to be anticipating a authorized letter.’
There appears little prospect of him handing over cash to Breest, who claimed he pressured her into oral intercourse after she got here to his condo to drink wine after a celebration in 2013.
Haggis mentioned that the encounter with Breest was consensual. He mentioned that he had discovered her ‘lovely’ and ‘kitten-ish’. He mentioned that she had flirted with him like ‘Jessica Rabbit’ and informed him that she was ‘excellent’ at giving oral intercourse.
So what’s the fact about multi-Oscar winner Paul Haggis’s funds? The place did the cash go? DailyMail.com has forensically analyzed the James Bond author’s funds to pinpoint his change in fortune.
Breest (left) appeared shocked when she heard the jury discover Haggis responsible of 4 counts of rape. Haggis, in the meantime, remained silent after the jury learn its verdict (proper)
$25 million down the drain? Divorces, taxes and dangerous investments…
Throughout the trial, Haggis estimated that in his 4 a long time in TV and films, he had made as a lot as $25 million – earlier than taxes, brokers’ and different representatives’ charges, and asset splits together with his two ex-wives.
Plus, a ‘silly quantity’ to Scientology.
Haggis labored on family identify reveals The Love Boat, Three’s Firm, Diff’lease Strokes and The Information of Life. He informed the court docket: ‘I made an excellent dwelling as a really dangerous author for a lot of, a few years.’
However he broke by means of to a different strata when employed to put in writing for the status ’90s way of life drama Thirtysomething earlier than his focus turned to motion pictures.
Haggis, pictured in 2007 together with his then-wife Deborah Rennard and their son James on the premiere of Warner Unbiased Image’s ‘Within the Valley of Elah’
In court docket, he estimated his profession earnings to have been round $25 million. Particularly, he earned $1.5million for his work as a screenwriter on the James Bond film On line casino Royale – $250,000-a-week for six weeks of labor.
He additionally mentioned he was paid $1 million for the Sons of Thunder spin-off sequence in 1999.
However, in line with Haggis, a sequence of monetary losses, topped by authorized payments of $2.6 million for his protection within the Breest lawsuit – and a profession that abruptly dried up – wiped him out.
He mentioned he had emptied his total retirement fund, was pressured to borrow $1 million from one in every of his ex-wives and owes $500,000 in authorized charges.
He claimed he was so broke in court docket that he had been lowered to utilizing his daughter’s Netflix password and canceled his Hulu and cable.
In a bid to show he is penniless, he submitted ten years of tax returns to the court docket, plus full monetary statements since 2018.
Haggis had three daughters (L-R) Alissa, Lauren and Katy, together with his first spouse Diane Gettas and spent 9 years locked in a bitter custody battle along with her
$2 million: ‘Donations’ to the Church of Scientology over 30 years
Haggis claims he paid as a lot as $2 million over 30 years to the Church of Scientology.
It’s estimated that present process the coursework for the church value almost $300,000 in 2011, and extra auditing and contributions anticipated of upper-level members exceed half 1,000,000 {dollars}.
Haggis and his first spouse Diane Gettas grew to become concerned within the church once they had relationship points. He ended up turning into one in every of its extra outstanding and high-ranking members.
He finally left the church in 2009 over its refusal to sentence one chapter’s assertion of help for Proposition 8, a California poll measure to de-legalize homosexual marriage. Two of Haggis’s 4 kids are homosexual.
In the meantime, sources near Haggis declare – sensationally – that the Scientology faith intimidated Haggis, a former Scientologist, and his household throughout the trial.
He mentioned throughout the trial that he had forked out greater than $2 million to Scientology and undergone a whole lot of hours of ‘auditing’. He left the church in 2009 in protest over its stance on homosexuality.
Sources near Haggis mentioned this week that Scientology’s infamous former chief spokesman Tommy Davis confirmed up in New York throughout the closing phases of the trial and ‘ran into’ the Haggis household and authorized crew.
His crew was so paranoid that they twice swept their constructing for bugs throughout the trial, which noticed his sufferer’s authorized crew use the testimonies of 4 extra ladies, all of whom accused the filmmaker of assault, to display that his alleged rape of Breest adopted a sample of conduct.
Sources near Haggis mentioned this week that Scientology’s infamous former chief spokesman Tommy Davis confirmed up in New York throughout the closing phases of the trial and ‘ran into’ the Haggis household and authorized crew
$3 million: Divorces from Deborah Rennand and Diane Gettas
By the point they divorced in 1994, Haggis and Diane Gettas shared three daughters and spent 9 years in a vicious custody battle over the women.
The precise quantity he was pressured to fork out to his ex-wife is unclear, however the couple spent hundreds on the court docket battle. On the identical time, Haggis paid for the women to attend boarding college.
When divorcing Gettas he reportedly forfeited greater than half of his internet price on prime of the costly authorized charges, that are thought to have been round $1 million on the time of their cut up.
It’s thought that his first divorce and the continued authorized proceedings may have value him as a lot as $1.2million.
Haggis additionally modified the identify of his private service firm from Paul Haggis, Inc. to Heretic Movies ‘to have clear books’ – and a separate entity the place he would not must maintain paying a the rest to Gettas.
After the 2016 cut up from Deborah Rennard, who he met by means of Scientology, a court docket dominated that he needed to pay her 20 p.c of any quantity exceeding $1.2million of his annual revenue.
Haggis was pressured to borrow $1 million from his ex-wife Deborah Rennard six months in the past to assist out together with his authorized charges (pictured collectively on the 2007 Academy Awards nominees luncheon)
It’s unclear precisely how a lot he made within the following six years earlier than Breest made her allegations which he claims dried up his work.
Haggis was ordered to pay Rennard $20,000 per thirty days and a further $5,000 in baby help whereas their son was nonetheless in schooling – in addition to paying for his highschool and school charges.
Over the previous six years, it will imply that he forked out at the very least $1.8million to his ex-wife, not together with the schooling charges for his son.
He stored one in every of their two New York SoHo residences and three Florida properties.
Haggis’ son James hugging his mom Deborah Rennard, Haggis’s ex-wife
His ex-wife Deborah Rennard testified: ‘I do know of no fame with him concerning ladies. He had nice relationships with ladies. I by no means heard of something unfavorable’
$1.8 million: Authorized charges ‘gutted’ Haggis’s retirement fund – and now he piggybacks on his daughter’s Netflix account
Breest’s lawyer Ilann Maazel informed the jury that Haggis had publicly ‘bragged’ about hiding his substantial belongings – claiming that the filmmaker has greater than $3 million in his private accounts.
Nonetheless, Haggis denied this, saying his complete internet price is lower than $500,000 – and he nonetheless owes his attorneys hundreds in authorized charges.
Haggis admitted to the court docket that he needed to cancel his cable and use one in every of his daughter’s Netflix account. (pictured with daughter Lauren haggis on the opening night time of the Broadway play ‘Purple’ on the Golden Theatre, New York Metropolis)
The Oscar-winning director paid his attorneys $1.8million to defend him in opposition to the civil lawsuit.
He had an association together with his crew that he must pay them double if he did not make his funds on time.
The court docket heard that he presently owes them greater than $500,000 in authorized charges, and was pressured to borrow $1 million from his ex-wife Deborah Rennard six months in the past to assist out.
He informed the court docket: ‘I principally emptied my retirement account and simply offered every little thing I may after which reduce.
‘That is going to sound ridiculous — I canceled my cable, I canceled my Hulu, I take advantage of my daughter’s HBO, I take advantage of my different daughter’s Netflix.’
Upon attempting to promote his condo in 2019 to generate money he took it off the market after receiving provides that have been lower than the $2.9million he bought it for in 2006.
He additionally admitted to utilizing his different daughter’s HBO account after being put into monetary problem. (Pictured with lauren on the Administrators Guild Awards 2016)
Director Paul Haggis together with his daughter Alissa (L) and spouse Deborah (R) attend the Lions Gate “Crash” Oscar Bash held on the Chateau Marmont on March 5, 2006 in Hollywood
$2 million: ‘Unhealthy’ investments, property and the 2008 crash
Throughout the court docket case, he claimed that he additionally made a number of ‘dangerous property investments’ and misplaced cash on properties in Florida.
When he cut up together with his second spouse Deborah Rennard in 2016, he nonetheless owned three properties in Florida, although it’s unclear if or when he offered them.
Throughout the inventory market crash, most common properties misplaced almost $100,000 on common off of their price ticket.
Haggis offered two properties in Bellefair, Florida in 2016.
One, bought for $145,000 in 2002 was offered for $155,000. The second, purchased for $41,000 in 2009, was offered for $75,000.
Haggis purchased a property in Bellefair, Florida, for $41,000 in 2009, was offered for $75,000
He purchased the same property seven years prior for $145,000 in 2002 was offered for $155,000
In 2022 he offered a Pinellas County property for $350,000 after shopping for it for $176,000 in 2009.
Haggis additionally bought a part of a $1.3 million 2022 sale of a property in North Hollywood that he bought for $594,000 in 2013.
In Could 2012, the couple took a loss once they offered a small rental in Chicago for $191,500 that they picked up in June 2006, for $242,000.
They offered their Santa Monica dwelling in 2012 for $5.25 million after their cut up, after paying $2.618 million for the property 12 years earlier.
Throughout the court docket case, he claimed that he additionally made a number of ‘dangerous property investments’ and misplaced cash on properties in Florida
In August 2008, they coughed up $2,365,000 for a 2,262 square-foot, single-story ranch-style residence that he offered in July 2010 at a substantial loss for $2,000,000.
Haggis offered his 2,948 square-foot rental at 388 West Broadway for five.5million, which was listed for $6 million in September of 2019 – a 12 months after he was accused of rape and sexual misconduct.
He purchased the property in 2010 for $3.95 million.
Haggis and Rennard coughed up $2,365,000 for a 2,262 square-foot, single-story ranch-style residence in 2008 that he offered in July 2010 at a substantial loss for $2,000,000
The director offered his 2,948 square-foot rental at 388 West Broadway for five.5million, which was listed for $6 million in September of 2019
$4 million: Pacific Palisades dwelling that needed to be demolished after 1994 earthquake
The filmmaker claimed a January 1994 earthquake and landslide triggered irreparable injury to his Pacific Palisades coastal bluff dwelling, costing him just below $4 million.
The property, purchased for $2.69 million in 1991 needed to be rebuilt. Haggis launched a lawsuit searching for compensation from the Metropolis of Los Angeles, after failing to take out earthquake insurance coverage for the property.
The large landslide which adopted the Northridge earthquake not solely triggered extreme injury to the house and different enhancements on the property, but it surely additionally destroyed the steadiness of the bottom beneath these enhancements, impaired using the property, and destroyed its worth and marketability`
In 1998, Haggis claimed his losses exceeded $3.5million.
He offered the property ten years later, in 2008, for $2.75 million.
Haggis took the Metropolis of Los Angeles to court docket after the pure catastrophe, buying the property in 1991
Properties have been destroyed after a large landslide above the Pacific Coast Freeway within the Pacific Palisades in 1994. (Pictured one of many properties destroyed)
