What to Know About the Abuse Allegations Against Bachelor Producer Mike Fleiss
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Bachelor Nation is in the news, but not for any of the right reasons.
Mike Fleiss, the show's producer, is facing allegations of domestic violence from his wife, Laura (who also happens ot be pregnant). In the past few days, everything from a restraining order to official divorce proceedings have been making headlines and rocking everything behind the scenes at everyone's favorite guilty pleasure.
Here's everything to know so far.
The Accusations
Mike Fleiss, the producer of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, faces allegations of domestic violence after his now-estranged wife accused him of physically and verbally abusing her. She had photos to accompany a police report, as well as video, documenting an incident back on July 6. Warner Bros, the production company behind the shows, has acknowledged the reports, saying, "We are aware of these serious allegations, and are looking into them."
Following the report, Laura was granted a restraining order, which required Mike to stay at least 100 yards away. The judge also demanded that he move out of the couple's home in Hanalei, Hawaii, People reports. Mike has denied the accusations.
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Pageant Star Meets Producer
Mike Fleiss married Laura Kaeppeler, who was both Miss Wisconsin and Miss America, back in 2014. Chris Harrison, the host of The Bachelor and Bachelorette, actually officiated the ceremony, and, of course, Neil Lane, celebrity jeweler and official the series's engagement ring purveyor, provided the rings.
The couple actually met back in 2012, when Mike judged the Miss America pageant that Laura won. Harrison hosted the event alongside Brooke Burke-Charvet, who has her own history with Mike.
Misdemeanor in Malibu
This isn't the first time that Mike has made headlines for supposed bad behavior. In 2014, he was charged with a misdemeanor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he was "was criminally charged with disturbing Baywatch alum David Charvet and his wife, former Dancing with the Stars host Brooke Burke-Charvet." TMZ added that he had speakers pointed at the couple's home and blasted the sound of dogs barking. The L.A. Sheriff's Department issued Fleiss a citation for the incident.
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The Restraining Order
Laura Fleiss was granted a restraining order after reporting several incidents of domestic violence. According to Deadline, Laura, who is currently 10 weeks pregnant, claims that Mike "demanded that [she] get an abortion" and explained the situation: "Our [4-year-old] son Ben was in the house, seated in another room nearby. Mike told me, 'If you have an abortion, then we can just go back to the way we were.'"
Filing for Divorce
On July 10, Mike filed for divorce. Court documents obtained by The Blast explain that he and Laura had a prenuptial agreement and the two will split child support. Additionally, he requested "joint legal and physical custody of their son" and the case cited irreconcilable differences for the split. Fleiss and Kaeppeler were married for five years.
"I have not hurt, attacked, or attempted to physically harm Laura or our child … in any way," Mike stated in court documents. He went on to explain why he thought he should get custody of their son. "The last time I saw or spoke to him was at the Hawaii house on July 7, 2019. Due to Laura's historical emotional instability, I am concerned about her and our son while in her care."