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On Thursday, May 19, Johnny Depp's former business manager Joel Mandel testified in the ongoing defamation trial of the actor's lawsuit against Amber Heard. Mandel appeared on video for his testimony and spoke about Depp's financial condition when he worked for him.
Depp's former manager from The Management Group opened up about the controversial accusations from the actor. Later, Mandel also spoke about the amount of money that had to be spent on compensating the alleged damages caused to properties and rentals by Depp during their business tenure.
In 2017, Depp sued TMG and alleged that Mandel's firm had spent millions without his permission. However, the conflict was privately settled after TMG countersued Depp, before the case made it to trial.
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What is known about Johnny Depp's former business manager Joel Mandel?
Joel Mandel currently serves as the vice-president of the Beverly Hills-based The Management Group (TMG). The firm appears to provide consultancy and management services to businesses or individuals like Depp.
Mandel appears to work with his relative Robert Mandel, who currently occupies the position of the President at the firm. As per multiple online business directories, TMG was started in 1987. Joel and Robert Mandel are the decision-making partners of the firm, along with the owner Howard Leiter.
As per the information released from his testimony, the former business manager reportedly guided Johnny Depp to sell some of his properties, specifically the actor's residence in the South of France. However, Joel Mandel was later accused of financial wrongdoing by the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
What did Joel Mandel say about Johnny Depp in the trial?
On Thursday, May 19, Joel Mandel revealed that Johnny Depp's financial condition was "dire" from July 2015 to March 2016. Mandel spoke about the 58-year-old actor's expenditures at the time. He said that the bills for Depp's prescription pills were often "thousands of dollars per month."
In Mandel's own words:
"My warnings in 2015 that we were in very dire financial circumstances were not met very well ... In that 2010 and on timeframe. As I recall income was very significant, spending was very significant. At various times, when we would have these conversations, he would acknowledge that he understood ... and would make expressions of a commitment to do with me what was necessary."
He added:
"He was on a very successful trajectory. The success of the Pirates films obviously catapulted him to a different level of success. That was a career thing, but it was also a financial thing."
According to Joel Mandel, there would be no follow up from Johnny Depp about reducing his expenditures. He said:
"It became clear there were issues with alcohol and drugs and that translated into more erratic behavior."
In addition to his statements, Joel Mandel claimed that it became difficult to schedule meetings and discuss the actor's finances with him during Depp's drug abuse period.
