Serena Williams' stepmother, Lakeisha, has lost her bankruptcy bid, resulting in the impending sale of the tennis ace's childhood home to offset her massive debt.
- Jun 28, 2024
AceShowbiz - Serena Williams and Venus Williams' childhood home is set to be auctioned to pay off the colossal debts incurred by their stepmother, Lakeisha Williams, who entangled the property in a web of deceit and financial mismanagement.
The once-glorious Palm Beach Gardens home, where tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams honed their skills under the guidance of their father, Richard Williams, is now poised for auction. The legal battle has been ongoing for years, anchored in the controversy of forged deeds and misappropriated funds.
Lakeisha Williams, Richard's third wife and 37 years his junior, transferred the deed of the four-bedroom property into her name by allegedly forging Richard's signature. She then secured a $279,000 loan from hard lender David Simon, which she squandered on a failed trucking business and frivolous expenses. Her debt, now standing at $436,113 with interest and attorney fees, prompted a legal chase that culminated in the auction scheduled for July 18.
Despite multiple attempts at filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, Lakeisha's strategies to stave off creditors have collapsed. The judge overseeing the case dismissed her third bankruptcy bid, stripping her of court protection and green-lighting the foreclosure. David Simon is set to recoup most of the auction's proceeds, with the leftover funds distributed to over 20 other creditors.
Lakeisha has previously admitted to forging Richard's signature to sell his 1999 Bluebird Wanderlodge Motor Coach for $45,000, claiming financial desperation drove her actions. Richard's son, Chavoita LeSane, has alleged ongoing theft, including social security checks and vehicles, labelling it as elder abuse, although no formal suit has been filed yet.
The house, valued between $1.4 million and $1.6 million, has deteriorated significantly, with rusting features and overgrown tennis courts, starkly contrasting the once excellent standards Richard maintained. This distressing scenario adds a layer of drama as the family watches the unraveling glory of their formative years.
In the thick of this legal mire, Richard, who suffers from dementia and has experienced several strokes, dismissed his divorce case against Lakeisha, citing health-related incapacity to continue the battle. Despite Lakeisha's claims of a reconciled relationship, Richard's family remains suspicious of her motives, fostering an aura of distrust and bitterness.
As the auction date looms, the Williams family's turbulent journey reminds us of the high stakes and human costs behind seemingly distant legal battles - echoing through the lives of tennis icons and the guardian of their dreams.
