The divorce between music and entertainment titan David Geffen and his much-younger ex-husband Donovan Michaels (also known as David Armstrong) has become one of the most closely watched legal dramas among Hollywood’s elite. But according to Geffen, this battle isn’t about romance—or even money—it’s about shutting down what he calls “a contrived attempt to humiliate” him.
In a 33-page complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Michaels accuses Geffen of breaching a deeply personal contract—one he claims was not just legal, but emotional. The document alleges that their relationship began as a transaction and paints a picture of promises made and later broken.
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Geffen has now fired back, TMZ broke the news first. In legal documents obtained by TMZ, the billionaire mogul flatly rejects Michaels’ claims, calling them “ludicrous” and designed to force a financial settlement through public embarrassment.
According to Geffen, Michaels was never promised shared ownership of assets or lifetime financial support in the event of a breakup. He points to his written estate plan as proof, saying it makes his intentions clear.
Instead, Geffen claims, he was more than generous during their relationship—providing Michaels with “almost unlimited spending money,” including his own apartment in New York. But he says this generosity was met with exploitation rather than gratitude.
In his legal response, Geffen alleges that Michaels:
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Spent large sums on expensive clothes, cosmetic procedures, and extravagant trips with friends.
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Used “hundreds of thousands of dollars” on OnlyFans subscriptions and male escorts toward the end of their marriage.
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Hid ongoing ketamine and cocaine use from Geffen, even after Geffen paid for treatment.
Geffen says the turning point came when what he describes as Michaels’ “facade of a loving, devoted husband” began to crumble. He claims to have discovered a pattern of “betrayal, dishonesty, and outright fraud” that convinced him the relationship had become one-sided, with Michaels using him for a lifestyle of excess.
@tmz There is a legal war that has broken out between #DavidGeffen and his estranged husband — the cast of #TMZonTV break it down!
Currently, Geffen says Michaels is still living rent-free in one of his luxury New York apartments and continues to receive monthly payments from him. But instead of resolving matters quietly, Geffen accuses his ex of “turning what should have been a simple divorce into a public spectacle.”
To handle the legal firestorm, Geffen’s divorce attorney Laura Wasser brought in powerhouse civil attorney Patty Glaser, who filed the response to Michaels’ claims.
This case is far from over. While Geffen has made his position clear, it’s expected that Michaels and his legal team will issue their own detailed rebuttal in the weeks to come. For now, the battle lines are drawn—and the Hollywood and business worlds are watching closely as one of the most influential figures in entertainment fights to control the narrative.
REFERENCE: TMZ
I think David Geffen is lonely and therefore compassion needs to be allotted to him. I think the same laws that apply to marriage, need to be applied to Donavan.