Wendy Williams’ Guardian Accused Of Coercing Man Into ‘Oppressive’ Conservatorship & Mishandling His Funds In $30 Million Lawsuit 

Wendy Williams, Sabrina Morrissey

Wendy Williams’ Guardian Accused Of Coercing Man Into ‘Oppressive’ Conservatorship & Mishandling His Funds In $30 Million Lawsuit

The questions surrounding Wendy Williams’ legal guardian continue to rise.

In 2022 Wells Fargo froze the bank accounts of famed talk show host Wendy Williams over reported concern for her mental state and well-being. The media personality was soon placed under a court-appointed conservatorship, with New York lawyer Sabrina Morrissey being tapped to oversee Wendy Williams’ health and finances. However, Wendy’s family has been very vocal about their disagreement with Morrissey serving as their loved one’s guardian. In the trailer of the recently released “Where Is Wendy Williams?” docuseries, her sister expresses,

“I think that the guardianship system is broken. We are her family. And you tell me that I’m not capable of taking care of my sister … What should I do?”

Wendy’s close ones are not the only people who have called out Morrissey. A recent report revealed that the lawyer was previously sued for $30 million for allegedly mishandling a client’s finances. The suit names Wendy’s guardian, her firm Morrissey & Morrissey LLP, and about ten other attorneys as defendants.

According to the lawsuit, in 2009, New York attorney Michael Flomenhaft, the plaintiff in the case, was representing a man named Jose Verdugo who was awarded 5.5 million in a personal injury claim. Unfortunately, Verdugo was approached by Flomenhaft’s associate Herbert Rodriguez, who reportedly misrepresented Flomenhaft’s case handling. The suit stated he told Verdugo the “case could not be finalized unless Verdugo consented to an MHL Article 81 Guardianship that Verdugo did not want or need.”

Sabrina Morrissey

The suit continued, claiming that Rodriguez and his firm “initially partnered and conspired with Sabrina Morrissey, Esq. of M&M to impose on Verdugo an MHL (Mental Hygiene Law) Article 81 Guardianship.”

It also said,

“Under the guise of protecting and vindicating Verdugo, they jointly pursued a dual litigation strategy aimed at, getting rid of Flomenhaft.”

And added,

“Defendants have conspired to perpetuate a baseless guardianship over a ward named Jose Verdugo under the guise of protecting Verdugo’s best interest.”

Wendy Williams

Morrissey officially became guardian of Verdugo on January 19, 2010, and continued until October 7, 2015, per the suit. However, the suit noted that Verdugo’s battle to get out of the “oppressive” conservatorship he was allegedly coerced into lasted over a decade.

“For more than a decade, defendants have imprisoned Verdugo in a humiliating and oppressive guardianship by manipulating and serially deceiving him, as well as New York Supreme Court and the Appellate Division.”

To make matters worse, it’s alleged that Verdugo lost most of the money he was awarded in the personal injury claim due to the slew of litigation pursued by his guardians.

“Under the banner of supposedly protecting Verdugo, using these sham litigations as a vehicle to amass extraordinary and fraudulently-based attorney and guardian fees, plundering Verdugo’s multi-million dollar personal injury recovery in Seven Thirty One in the process.”

The suit, which was filed in 2022, also documented that several doctors noted in their professional opinions Verdugo was mentally sound and showed no need for legal guardianship.

The amount of sought punitive damages from all defendants was $30 million. However, it’s reported that in August of 2023, Flomenhaft filed to discontinue “the above-entitled action without prejudice, and without costs to either party as against the other.”

This means, considering the statute of limitations, he is allowed to re-file in the future.

What are your thoughts on this entire situation? Tell us in the comments below!

[VIA]