Phil Collins has filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife and her new husband, claiming that the couple commandeered the classic rocker's Miami Beach mansion unlawfully, even securing the property with a security team and changing the electronic locks to keep Collins out. A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Miami-Dade County court alleges that Orianne Cevey Collins Mejjati Bates and Thomas Bates, whom she married in August, "have refused to vacate" the property at 5800 N. Bay Road, which is owned by Collins, and have commandeered singer's home "through a show of force."
Collins' attorney served notice to the lawyers representing Orianne Bates, saying that the ex-wife was holding the property to essentially extort a large amount of money from Collins. The attorney further stated that Bates was notified to leave the residence several times in August, September, and October.
Collins, who has been married and divorced three times, bought the waterfront estate for $33 million in 2015; the property is currently for sale at an asking price of $40 million.
The former couple divorced in 2008 after he reportedly paid her a $46 million settlement. They share two sons together, Nicholas, 19, and Matthew, 15.