Former popular talk show host Wendy Williams has many fans worried over her recent public appearances where she seems unfocused. Recently, when a fan and paparazzo stopped her on a New York City street, she spoke of her money woes.
She told the onlookers in a video obtained by The U.S. Sun newspaper that her “American Express is broken” and that she had to “take care of that.”
Well Fargo Froze Accounts
Back in January, her bank, Wells Fargo, froze her accounts, locking the “Wendy Williams Show” host from accessing her estimated $20 million fortune. Insiders told The Sun that her money is still being withheld from her, and she cannot pay her own staffers.
“Her team has not been paid since these accounts were shut. Her manager is relatively new, but some people have been working for her this entire time and they haven’t seen a dime since the accounts were closed either,” a source told The Sun. “People have been floating their services to Wendy for months on end now.”
There had been an expectation that Willimas would be able to access her funds in July, but the 58-year-old ex-TV and radio star has yet to gain control of her estate.
Her accounts were placed under the control of a financial guardian after her bank alleged that she was the victim of “exploitation, dementia, or undue influence in explosive court filings,” The Sun reported.
She still can not access her Wells Fago account or American Express card, which is also tied up in the legal guardianship proceedings.
An Allowance?
So how is Williams meeting her day-to-day expenses? A different source informed The Sun that she is being given a regular allowance through the financial guardian.
“She gets money through the financial guardian, but it’s not like the level of money Wendy Williams would need to get by in New York City. Her manager is footing the bill for a lot of her personal upkeep right now,” the source said.
Battle for her Money
In March, Williams requested Wells Fargo give her access to her money, and she released a video on her Instagram account that the bank was not treating her fairly. She blamed Lori Schiller, a national adviser for Wells Fargo Advisors in New York, and her ex-manager Bernie Young.
“My thing is that I’ve been asking questions about my money, and when I began asking questions about my money suddenly Lori Schiller got no response regarding my money. I want my money. This is not fair. And Wells Fargo has no questions and answers regarding my money,” Williams alleged.
Williams went on to accuse her former manager Young of using “my American Express card to hire an attorney to file a petition against me.”
“Bernie, you’re no good, and this is not fair at all,” she says.
Needs to Be of Sound Mind
Wells Fargo wants Williams to prove she is of sound mind before releasing her funds, according to legal filings.
“Wells Fargo’s priority is the financial well-being of Ms. Williams and the preservation of her privacy,” a statement from the bank read. “As we have expressed to the Court, Wells Fargo is open to working with Ms. Williams’ counsel to release funds directly to her creditors for bills historically and regularly paid from her accounts.”
Williams’ Unraveling
Williams, who was involved in a high-profile divorce and was grieving the loss of her mother, had to take a leave from her long-running show in 2019. Upon her return, she admitted to her audience that she had been living in a sober house.
“Well, for some time now and even today and beyond, I have been living in a sober house,” Williams said. “… And you know I’ve had a struggle with cocaine in my past. I never went to a place to get the treatment. I don’t know how, except God was sitting on my shoulder and I just stopped.”
But not after, Williams again left the show. The official reason given was that she was taking time to recover from complications of Graves disease and other health issues.This time, she did not come back. Earlier this year, the show wrapped after 13 seasons in syndication. The last season had guest co-hosts in place of Williams.
Recently, Williams, who started her career as a radio “shock jockette” in 2008, announced on social media she was developing a podcast.
Williams is also seven-time New York Times best-selling author. Her books include, “Wendy’s Got the Heat,” “The Wendy Williams Experience,” “Hold Me in Contempt: A Romance,” and “Ask Wendy: Straight-Up Advice for All the Drama in Your Life.”
