Mel B’s Ex-Husband Stephen Belafonte Sues Her For $5 Million, Accuses Singer Of Lying About Alleged Abuse
Mel B’s Ex-Husband Stephen Belafonte Sues Her For $5 Million, Accuses Singer Of Lying About Alleged Abuse
British pop star Mel B‘s ex-husband Stephen Belafonte is taking legal action against her.
According to reports, the TV/film producer wants his former spouse to hand over $5 million in damages for allegedly defaming him with allegations of abuse he says are false.
It appears Stephen Belafonte, 49, filed the suit in Florida sometime this week. He alleges that his ex-wife Mel B, real name Melanie Brown, 49, has been on a smear campaign against him, attempting to “cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation.” In case you’re unfamiliar, the entertainment professionals were married from 2007 to 2017, and the Spice Girl has been very vocal about the alleged abuse she faced during their 10-year marriage.
Stephan Belafonte, however, maintains his innocence, and reversely alleges that Mel B has “spent the better part of the last decade engaging in a deliberate and wide-ranging campaign.” His lawyer claims in the suit:
“Ms. Brown has stopped at nothing to falsely charge [Belafonte] with crimes and horrific offenses, including physical beatings, rape, financial abuse, emotional abuse, sex trafficking, and illegal gun possession,”
The legal document alleges that Mel B first began accusing Belafonte of abuse back in 2017, noting that the musician filed for a restraining order at the time, claiming that her then-husband had been physically and sexually abusing her since the start of their marriage. She dismissed the complaint in court, but Belafonte says she continued to assassinate his character further by re-publishing her 2018 memoir, Brutally Honest.
Belafonte’s lawyer reportedly adds in the complaint:
“Ms. Brown has been profiting off of her public lies as she portrays Mr. Belafonte as a ‘monster’ on global television and media appearances and in her ironically named book…[Her] relentless attacks have been calculated to ensure maximum coverage of her false narratives and exact maximum damage to Mr. Belafonte’s reputation and emotional state.”
Additionally, Belafonte claims that Mel B has made no efforts to see their 12-year-old daughter Madison since he was awarded primary custody in 2019. He’s reportedly seeking $5 million in compensatory damages, as well as punitive and exemplary damages, and is seeking a trial by jury.
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[VIA]