Billionaire David Geffen’s Divorce From His Much-Younger Black Husband Just Got a Whole Lot Messier. Here’s Everything We Know

The marriage dissolution between entertainment billionaire David Geffen and his soon-to-be ex-husband David Armstrong just took another messy turn. And we’ve got the scoop on how.

As we previously told you in May, 82-year-old Geffen filed for divorce from 32-year-old Armstrong citing irreconcilable differences. (Yes, you’re doing the math correctly. That is indeed a 50 year age gap). The two met in 2016 on a dating website that facilitates “sugar dating” relationships, wed seven years later, and didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement. However, in response to the billionaire’s divorce filing, Armstrong requested that Geffen be responsible for his legal fees and pushed for a probe to be conducted in order to investigate the DreamWorks co-founder’s income.

Now, it looks like Armstrong is making yet another legal maneuver as evidenced by a new report released on Tuesday. Per Variety, Armstrong is now suing Geffen for breach of contract and alleged in court documents that he was treated as “a living social experiment — a trophy to show off to his wealthy friends, under the guise of benevolence.”

In the 33-page complaint, Armstrong lobbed a slew of accusations against Geffen, the largest of which hinged on the Asylum Records’ founder’s alleged exploitation of a vulnerable Armstrong, who had been placed in the foster care system since he was a baby.

“Geffen learned of Michaels’ troubled past — his history of neglect, poverty, instability, and legal entanglements. Rather than respond with empathy or offer genuine support, Geffen saw Michaels as an object of exploitation: a young, attractive and gay black man whose trauma could be weaponized for Geffen’s personal gratification and public image,” the suit alleged in part.

It went on to paint a narrative that Geffen treated Armstrong as his equal during their relationship, seemingly elevating it from transactional to one where the two considered each other as serious life partners, according to Armstrong. In return, the latter decided to give up “his modeling career, his independence — to dedicate himself fully to this promise.”

The suit goes on to allege that Geffen was controlling, citing his alleged desire to make sure Armstrong had no body hair on him and for him to keep his personal hygiene in check. Armstrong claims that alleged demand often resulted in him having to undergo “extensive, painful laser treatments and dental treatments.”

Armstrong also mentioned alleged “abuse” at the hands of Geffen and that he had certain “proclivities” but failed to get into specifics. Armstrong also claimed he was cut off from his financial support and forced out of their New York home on the same day that his nearly former billionaire husband was allegedly hosting his A-list friends on his superyacht last month on the eve of Jeff Bezos’ star-studded wedding.

“While Geffen holds himself out to the public as an extraordinarily charitable man whose foundation gives millions and millions of dollars to advocacy and support groups for the homeless and disadvantaged populations, he is simultaneously endeavoring to render Michaels impoverished and homeless,” the suit alleged in part.

Additionally, and as noted by The Hollywood Reporter, Armstrong also alleged illicit drug use at the hands of Geffen. In an effort to keep up with the lifestyle, Armstrong allegedly developed a substance abuse problem and had to undergo treatment in order to kick it.

Lawyers for Geffen have since responded to the lawsuit, calling it “pathetic” and “false.”

“There was and is no contract — express, written or implied — that has ever existed,” the billionaire’s attorney Patricia Glaser said. “We will be vigorously and righteously defending against this false and pathetic lawsuit.”