Serena Williams’ stepmother must sell Florida home

Real Estate

By Mary K. Jacob

Serena Williams’ stepmother, Lakeisha Williams, has finally been dealt a blow in her bankruptcy attempt to dig out of a $600,000 financial quagmire.

The consequence? The childhood home of the Williams sisters is now poised to hit the market to offset the debts, according to The Sun.

Lakeisha, a former stripper, had managed to evade the sale of the $1.4 million Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, mansion for seven years to resolve her substantial debt.

The property, central to the legal saga, is alleged to have been illicitly acquired by Lakeisha from tennis legend Richard Williams, the father of Serena and Venus.

Williams bought the four bedroom, 10-acre spread back in 1995 for $355,000, records show.

She admitted to falsifying his signature on the title deeds to transfer ownership and subsequently secure a $279,000 loan, which she squandered on a failed trucking venture and fast food purchases.

Despite her efforts, including three attempts at Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings, Lakeisha consistently failed to meet the hefty $10,000-a-month repayment plan owed to creditor David Simon, a hard lender.

This failure has now culminated in Judge Mindy Mora granting the dismissal of her latest bankruptcy bid, leaving Lakeisha stripped of court protection and facing the imminent foreclosure of the property.

Simon is set to recoup most of the proceeds from the property sale, with the remainder distributed among over 20 other creditors.

Although Lakeisha could potentially file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy again, the prospect comes with added legal and court expenses. Any subsequent filing would necessitate proof of improved financial circumstances and a viable repayment plan, with a mere 30-day window of creditor protection granted upon refiling.

Meanwhile, Richard, who was also the tennis coach of Serena and Venus, remains embroiled in a protracted divorce saga initiated in 2017 upon discovering the alleged misappropriation of the family home.

The property became entangled in a complex web of deceit when Lakeisha purportedly manipulated documents to secure loans.

In a deposition to the courts, Simon disclosed that Lakeisha had initially sought a loan upon spotting a “for sale” sign on his $79,000 Volvo semi-truck tractor.

However, Simon insisted on property collateral, prompting Lakeisha to allegedly forge her now estranged husband’s signature to transfer ownership of the house.

The truck, central to this convoluted tale, was eventually repossessed by Simon in 2018 following an accident in Long Island City that rendered it unsalvageable.

In a saga spanning years and rife with shocking revelations, the ongoing legal battle between Lakeisha Williams and tennis coach Richard Williams has peeled back the layers of their tumultuous marriage.

Court documents dating back to April 2017 have laid bare astounding allegations against Lakeisha, including claims of forgery and financial strain within the relationship.

According to Lakeisha’s deposition, she admits to forging Williams’ signature on a previous occasion to facilitate the sale of his prized 1999 Bluebird Wanderlodge Motor Coach, valued at $45,000. The proceeds, she contends, were essential for providing sustenance for herself and their 8-year-old son, Dylan, during dire financial circumstances.

“I was broke, and my husband did not help me,” Lakeisha asserted. “It was my son and I not getting any money, so I had to sell it so I can eat and my son can eat… we didn’t have anything.” Despite these hardships, Lakeisha claims she remained unaware of Williams’ intentions for divorce until he served her with dissolution papers in May 2017, abruptly ending their cohabitation as a married couple.

Lakeisha recalled a tender moment shared with Williams on the very day he filed for divorce. “He just came and gave me a kiss actually that morning, the morning of [the divorce filing], and he … would share with me to pray, you know, to always pray for our family and then he left with Chavoita,” she disclosed during her deposition.

However, tensions within the Williams family extend beyond the marital discord between Lakeisha and Richard. Chavoita Lesane, Richard’s son, has levied accusations against Lakeisha, alleging theft of vehicles, social security checks and document forgery.

Despite threats of legal action, including the possibility of an elder abuse suit, Lesane’s claims have yet to materialize into formal proceedings.

Reflecting on the family’s turmoil, Lesane expressed frustration, tell The Sun, “We’re just putting all of it together, it’s a lot. This whole situation has been frustrating.”