Two days after finalizing the divorce in October 2023, Bateman filed a lawsuit accusing her ex-husband of "controlling and abusing" her, as seen in court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.
The lawsuit pertains to intentional infliction of emotional distress, as Bateman claims she endured "severe emotional distress" throughout their six-and-a-half-year marriage. The RHOSLC star details several alleged incidents of Underwood's "controlling" behavior, including "ordering what clothes, makeup, perfumes, and other beauty products Britani could and could not wear or use, both in his presence and when he was not around," and even allegedly demanding that she engage in sexual intercourse with him multiple times a day.
In a statement sent to DailyMail.com, Underwood's attorney, Randy S. Keste, denied Bateman's accusations: "This is just one of many nuisance cases that Mrs. Underwood has been involved in, frequently making false and exaggerated claims. At least three previous incidents that she instigated have been dismissed." The alleged controlling behavior of Underwood extended to demanding that Bateman change the color and style of her nails according to his wishes. She was also allegedly required to go to the gym every day and work out under his instructions.
Regarding her spending habits, Britani was reportedly forced to disclose "every dollar she spent when he was not around."
In addition to her appearance, John was allegedly in control of who Britani spent time with. Court documents claim, "Britani's relationship with her children and other family members became increasingly strained since she married John."
"John forbade Britani from having frequent contact with her children, family members, and friends. John found it unacceptable for Britani to focus her attention on anyone other than him." The homemaker has two daughters from a previous relationship.
Britani claims she was not only emotionally abused but also financially abused during her marriage to Underwood. She stated that before they married, she earned an average of $150,000 annually from her production company, but John pressured her to sell the company because he wanted her to prioritize their marriage.
She alleges: "John's paranoia, anger, insecurity, and abuse caused Britani to lose millions of dollars in income."
In a counterclaim filed in late October 2023, John Underwood vehemently denied all of Britani Bateman's allegations, while making shocking accusations and harshly criticizing his ex-wife. He claimed that Britani was selfish, materialistic, and showed disdain for him. In the counterclaim, John stated that Britani had continuously criticized, slandered, and taken actions to damage his reputation, harming his business relationships and tarnishing his image in the eyes of his partners and colleagues.
John also accused Britani of manipulation and constantly trying to "blame" him for everything. According to him, Britani had consistently made false accusations of mistreatment and even conspired with others to harm him. These accusations led Underwood to assert that he had suffered "severe emotional distress" due to the baseless criticisms and allegations from his ex-wife.
John has requested that the court dismiss Britani's claims, asserting that her allegations are entirely unfounded. According to him, all of the accusations regarding his controlling, manipulative, and abusive behavior are completely false and exaggerated.
