Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, are demanding nearly $190,000 in legal fees in their escalating dispute with Lauren’s estranged brother, Michael Sánchez. The demand comes after Michael’s defamation lawsuit that he filed and ultimately lost against the pair.
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, the couple filed a motion on July 28 in California Superior Court seeking $182,374 in attorney’s fees and $8,182 in legal costs. These expenses were “incurred in connection with (1) her successful Special Motion to Strike, and (2) this Motion for Attorney’s Fees and Costs.”
As per The Daily Beast, Lauren’s legal team describes Michael’s lawsuit as a “multi‑year campaign of harassment” intended to extract a settlement he had no right to. This issue happened right after the Amazon founder tied the knot with Lauren in Venice, Italy, on June 27, 2025.
The wedding is estimated to have cost around $55 million. Sources say their lawyers bill between $549 and $1,125 per hour, and the event was attended by several A-list stars and business associates.
The case stems from Michael’s defamation suit following allegations that he leaked n-de photos and text messages to the National Enquirer; however, Jeff, with his strong connections to him, countersued under California’s Anti‑SLAPP statute, designed to dismiss misleading or baseless claims quickly.
Previously, in 2021, Bezos was awarded $218,385 in legal fees, but the feud continues even in 2025. In defiance, Michael blasted the pair in a statement, calling them “liars and cheaters” and referring to the justice system as “corrupt,” claiming his version of victory.
Lauren Sanchez fights brother Michael’s request to depose her in his lawsuit against AMI https://t.co/D0FRxxVPGH pic.twitter.com/UvDPnCu0zF
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) April 13, 2023
Meanwhile, Michael was reportedly not even invited to his sister’s infamous wedding due to the tensions between them, which began in 2019 after Lauren Sanchez’s brother realised that Jeff and her relationship was more serious than a casual fling. He was concerned for his sister, whom he truly cared about. Both Jeff and Lauren were married to other people when they met, and Michael wanted to protect his sister if anything went wrong.
Furthermore, when The National Enquirer reported the news that the two were in a profound union, people had a lot to say, and why wouldn’t they? Lauren Sanchez was dating one of the biggest and richest names on the planet. Reportedly, Michael was the one who informed the outlet despite the couple wishing to keep the relationship private.
Lauren Sanchez’s brother Michael breaks his silence about court feud with her and lover Jeff Bezos https://t.co/vaweVaF4H1
— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) June 6, 2020
Yet, in a 2020 Vanity Fair interview, Michael responded vaguely, saying, “I’m not saying I didn’t do something… Until I go under oath, what I can tell you now is that ever since April 20, when I met Jeff, my only goal has been to protect Jeff and Lauren.” He added that his sister didn’t share the same perspective.
He filed a defamation lawsuit against Bezos in 2020, insisting he had been wrongly accused of leaking private material. Lauren, however, didn’t hold back and said, “He secretly provided my most personal information to The National Enquirer, a deep and unforgivable betrayal. My family is hurting over this baseless and untrue lawsuit, and we truly hope my brother finds peace.”
While Lauren has been in the spotlight for her alleged plastic surgery transformations, she has also been accused by the media of being a manipulator and using the billionaire businessman to achieve her dream life. Currently, Jeff and Lauren have zero opinions about their haters as they are enjoying their summer across Europe, living their best life.
They were most recently seen partying in Ibiza and even on a double date with Leonardo DiCaprio and Vittoria Ceretti aboard Bezos’s $500 million superyacht, Koru.
