July 9, 2007

“It is with great sadness and disappointment that I feel the need to dignify and refute the inaccuracies, blatant lies and misrepresentations that my estranged wife and her attorney made last week in a New York courtroom and continue to make in the press.

Just under 50% of marriages in this country end in divorce and, as most people understand, it is a very difficult thing to endure. To have it played out in the court of public opinion with misleading statements, lies and innuendo is particularly disturbing and disappointing. I would like to set the record straight with the hopes that this process can proceed in privacy.

My estranged wife filed for divorce on May 5, 2006, over fourteen months ago. When she filed her complaint over one year ago, and when she amended it twice she made no mention of alleged adultery or lack of financial support. The fact that they decided to play both of those cards for the first time last week demonstrates their willingness to manufacture stories for their own purposes.

I have always supported JoAnn’s every expense in the past prior to her filing for divorce in May of 2006 and continue to do so to this day. She has had unlimited access to credit cards that I pay for. I have paid for her cell phone, her car, her gas, her car insurance, her health insurance, trips she has taken even the smallest thing like her cat food. Essentially, I have paid for her every expense. I have also paid for her housing the entire time. In fact, the townhouse where she is currently living and that I am paying for is larger than any place she has ever lived and is also a rent-free home to her brother, the brother who had no problem taking shots at me in the press while he is separated from his wife and small child. JoAnn’s claim that I stopped supporting her is simply false. The statement about lack of support by her and her family is both shocking and a prime example that they will stop at nothing to paint me in the press as some sort of monster in order to extort more money out of me.

Her claim that she was my “secret” wife is preposterous and inaccurate. Our marriage was well known to my friends and all of my fans worldwide. She was featured prominently in the first two seasons of my show. She and her family were thanked and credited in every episode and in my recent autobiography.

The fact that they have tried to use Cameron Diaz to accomplish their ends is a sign of their desperation. Here too they have their facts wrong and are attempting to mislead. Anyone that reads the press can figure out the timeline. Cameron and I met in May of this year at the VH1 Rock Honors show, over a year after JoAnn’s initial filing. She and I went on four or five dates and there is no current relationship between us. Cameron is a good friend and an amazing person and to defame her and myself and paint her as the reason for my marriage’s demise is factually inaccurate, ridiculous and just plain wrong. It seems clear, and very unfortunate to me that JoAnn and her attorney both hope that these false statements will provide my estranged wife, who has also been dating during this time, the financial windfall she is obviously seeking.

I hope that this statement of facts can help clear the air about the myriad of preposterous and salacious accusations that have come out in the past few days and put the process back in the courtroom where it belongs. It has never been my intention to play this out publicly but JoAnn’s false public statements have left me no alternative. I am very confident when all of the facts are presented in court that JoAnn’s true motive will be revealed for what it is.”

Signed, Criss Angel