Mel B Slammed With $5 Million Defamation Lawsuit By Ex-Husband
Mel B is facing a fiery legal battle after her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against her. The Spice Girl had previously spoken out about Belafonte's damaging remarks toward her while they were together.
Mel B's Allegations Spark Legal Feud With Ex-Husband Stephen Belafonte
Belafonte filed the $5 million defamation lawsuit against the actress in a Florida court on Wednesday, coinciding with her 49th birthday.
In his suit, he alleged that Mel B began a "long-brewing harassment" campaign in 2017 with domestic violence claims. However, he mentioned that she "dismissed" them before he could take her to court.
The producer also claimed that the singer "engaged in a deliberate and wide-ranging campaign to cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation."
The lawsuit documents further stated, "As a result of Ms. Brown's false allegations of rape, illegal gun possession, sex trafficking, production of illegal pornography, domestic battery and child endangerment, Mr. Belafonte lost access to his home and children."
Consequently, in the documents obtained by Page Six, Belafonte sought $5 million in compensatory damages, a trial by jury, punitive damages, and a gag order against Mel B.
He also insisted that he is "not looking to settle" and expressed his intention to donate any earnings from the lawsuit to an abuse program for women.
Text Messages And Allegations Unveiled In Court Documents
The legal papers filed by Belafonte revealed more about Mel B's alleged true intentions. The 49-year-old included text messages supposedly exchanged between Mel B and her Spice Girls bandmate Geri Halliwell.
The messages suggested Mel B's "true intentions are to leverage her charitable appeal for further sales, celebrity and opportunity." The singer had allegedly written, "Charity doesn't pay the bills," to which Halliwell responded in shock stating:
"I hope nobody ever hacks your texts!!!!! I believe we should do something good and kicking off with a charity gig would be hugely positive. The power of our brand is enormous and all of our work is off the back of it including Vikki [Victoria Beckham]!!!!!!"
Unfazed, Mel B responded, "Why? My texts are fine to me anyways so no need to worry. Like I said, charity doesn't pay the bills, everyone knows that."
Mel B Battled With Trauma Caused By Snide Remarks
Belafonte's bombshell legal action comes months after Mel B spoke out about alleged hurtful comments regarding her body attributed to her ex-husband.
The Blast noted that Mel B revealed that her journey to newfound confidence, often attributed to her hair stylist fiancé, Rory McPhee, was marred by trauma, particularly during her marriage to Belafonte.
The singer claimed that Belafonte would cruelly label her as "fat and ugly," leaving deep emotional scars. The mother-of-three claimed that Belafonte would often say things like, "'You look old,' 'you look fat,' 'God, you are ugly,' [and] 'your arms are flabby.'"
Mel B then detailed the impact of the "Wolf Mountain" co-executive producer's alleged words, describing them as destructive.
Mel B Dropped Major Hint On Possible Spice Girls Reunion
After captivating the world with revelations of her alleged traumatic marriage last year, Mel B returned with updates about a potential musical comeback from the Spice Girls.
In January, The Blast reported that the TV personality, famously known as "Scary Spice," teased "good news" involving all five Spice Girls, igniting fervent anticipation among fans.
"Well, I've been saying this forever, but now we're actually going to be releasing some really good news in about a few weeks that involves all five of us," Mel B excitedly noted.
Describing the upcoming revelation as "the gift that keeps on giving," the star promised fans satisfaction. She did this while playfully acknowledging the possibility of getting into trouble for sharing too much.
Posh Spice To The Rescue
In addition to the anticipation surrounding the announcement, the "Wanna Be" singer gave fans another source of excitement —Victoria Beckham's involvement in her wedding.
In a conversation with 2Day FM's Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee, and Erin Molan, Mel B's enthusiasm was contagious as she shared details of her impending nuptials.
She excitedly noted, "Once I get the date, I will go wedding dress shopping. Victoria Beckham wants to make me a dress."
Mel B added to the fairytale allure by revealing her dream wedding location, aspiring to exchange vows at the historic St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where Princess Diana married Prince Charles.
