Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez Seek $190K Legal Fees from Brother

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are engaged in a protracted legal battle with Lauren's brother, Michael Sanchez, seeking nearly $190,000 in attorney’s fees and legal costs through a motion filed in California Superior Court. The dispute originated in 2019 following the public revelation of Bezos and Sanchez's relationship, with Michael accused of selling explicit photos and text messages to the National Enquirer, which escalated into defamation lawsuits. Bezos and Sanchez’s legal team describe Michael's actions as a multi-year harassment campaign aimed at extracting an undeserved financial settlement, while Michael has called his sister and Bezos liars and accused the judicial system of corruption. The couple has invoked California's Anti-SLAPP statute to dismiss what they deemed frivolous claims and to recover their legal expenses, with attorney hourly rates reported between $549 and $1,125. Despite ongoing court proceedings, Bezos and Sanchez recently celebrated a lavish $55 million wedding in Italy, to which Michael was not invited, underscoring the continuing familial estrangement. The case highlights the intersection of high-profile personal disputes and legal strategies in the context of celebrity and wealth.