Nicolas Cage sued by ex

Dec 9, 2009, 12:12 GMT

Nicolas Cage is being sued by his ex-wife for $13 million.

Christina Fulton - mother of Cage's son Weston, 18 - has been caught up in the furore around the star's present financial difficulties, and is demanding the massive payment as compensation for "mental, physical and emotional abuse".

Fulton claims in her lawsuit, filed yesterday (08.12.09), that in 2001 Cage bought a Los Angeles home for her and their son and pledged he would sign it over to her, which he failed to do.

She only discovered this when the actor served her a 60-day notice to vacate the premises.

Christina further alleges that due to negligence by Cage she is now in debt of more than $1 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as well as $250,000 in credit card debt, which her ex-husband had reportedly told her he would pay off.

Cage's lawyer, Martin Singer, said of the claim: "This lawsuit is ridiculous and absurd. Nicolas has given her approximately $3 million every year for many years, even though he was only obligated to pay her $6,000-a-month in child support. We expect this lawsuit to be promptly thrown out."

Cage's financial woes are considerable themselves, with him owing $6.3 million in back taxes, which has led to him having to sell off many of his assets including properties and yachts.

The 'National Treasure' actor claims the difficulties are the results of a former accountant's negligence, a claim which the accountant refutes, blaming the situation on the actor's "compulsive, self-destructive spending".

Among the more extravagant of Cage's purchases are a 67-million-year-old dinosaur skull which cost $276,000, as well as a $495,000 Lamborghini, a jet, two yachts, three castles, two islands in the Bahamas and a number of mansions.