Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are asking a California court to make her estranged brother, Michael Sanchez, pay nearly $190,000 in legal fees after years of bitter court battles.

According to a motion filed on July 28 in California Superior Court, the newlyweds want Michael to cover $182,374 in attorney's fees and $8,182 in legal costs.

The filing states the expenses were "incurred in connection with her successful Special Motion to Strike, and this Motion for Attorney's Fees and Costs."

The case stems from a defamation lawsuit Michael filed in 2020. He claimed he was wrongly accused of leaking intimate texts and images of Bezos and Sánchez to the National Enquirer.

Lauren's legal team has described his actions as a "multi-year campaign of harassment" meant to pressure her into a "wholly undeserved financial settlement."

Bezos and Sánchez say the fees are justified under California's Anti-SLAPP law, which is designed to stop meritless lawsuits aimed at silencing people.

Their motion argues Michael's claims were "frivolous" and "dead on arrival." The couple's attorneys bill between $549 and $1,125 per hour, PageSix said.

This is not the first time the billionaire and his wife have been awarded legal costs in the dispute. In 2021, Bezos received $218,385 in fees from Michael, though ongoing filings have kept the fight alive.

Inside the Bezos–Sánchez Rift with Her Brother Michael

The family feud began shortly after Bezos announced his divorce from MacKenzie Scott in 2019.

Reports emerged that Bezos was in a relationship with Sánchez, who at the time was separated from Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell.

Things escalated when the National Enquirer obtained private messages between Bezos and Sánchez. Bezos later went public with details of the threat, accusing the tabloid of attempting blackmail.

According to NYMorningStar, Michael Sanchez has denied leaking explicit "below-the-belt selfies," but court records show he and National Enquirer publisher American Media signed a nondisclosure agreement in October 2018 regarding certain information, photographs, and messages.

The latest legal push comes just weeks after Bezos and Sánchez tied the knot in a lavish $50 million wedding in Venice, Italy, attended by celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Usher, Sydney Sweeney, and Ivanka Trump.

Since then, the couple has been seen enjoying a summer of yacht trips and parties across Europe, including Ibiza.

Michael has fired back in public statements, calling Bezos and Sánchez "liars and cheaters" and accusing the justice system of being "corrupt." Despite the personal and legal drama, it appears neither side is backing down anytime soon.

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Jeff Bezos, Lauren sanchez