Entertainer Mel B’s finances were recently revealed in custody proceedings for her daughter with ex-husband Stephen Belafonte, new reports show.
Mel B divorced Belafonte in 2018 but has been embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their 11-year-old daughter, Madison. Belafonte has possessed custody of Madison since Mel B’s work visa expired in 2019. Since then she has lived in the United Kingdom. And although Madison travels from Los Angeles to the United Kingdom to visit, Mel B is ready for her to live there permanently — especially since Belafonte requested the courts to allow him to move from California to Florida for increased employment opportunities.
“Madison’s sisters, Angel and Phoenix, relocated with me to the U.K. where we live minutes from nearly all of our friends and family,” Mel B wrote in a court declaration, as reported by RadarOnline. “Moving to the U.K. without Madison was devastating for the girls and me.”
Financial Statuses Revealed
Mel B’s current net worth of $6 million — a far cry from the $30 million she was worth at the height of her career as a Spice Girl. Court documents retrieved by RadarOnline found that the singer’s company, Purple Owl, generates $72,000 monthly. Meanwhile, Mel B claims that her assets include $12,000 in the bank with no property listed.
Mel B lives in the United Kingdom with her older daughters, Phoenix and Angel. According to court documents, Mel B’s household expenses include $6,100 monthly on rent; $4,100 on groceries; $1,150 on utilities; $1,300 on auto expenses; $200 on cleaning; and $350 on cellphones. Other monthly fees include $2,625 for clothing; $2230 for education; and $900 for dining. In total, Mel B spends $23,500 a month. Court filings also showed that Mel B “owes significant taxes to the UK and US tax authorities for which she makes monthly payments in varying amounts,” according to RadarOnline.
Belafonte’s income and expenses declaration showed that he earned an estimated $21,000 monthly. He also admitted that he lost his management position in October 2022, leaving him without a steady income. However, he has been living off his personal savings and support from Mel B.
Love, Marriage and a Messy Divorce
Mel B and Belafonte married in June 2007 in Las Vegas. The ex-couple’s marriage was tumultuous, with rumors of domestic abuse often swirling. In 2017, Mel B filed for divorce from Belafonte. By August 2018, their divorce was finalized with the ex-couple having 50/50 custody of Madison.
“Getting out of my horrific, disastrous divorce court right now. Once again, all allegations dismissed,” Belafonte announced on his Instagram account after the divorce was finalized. “I went through a long year-and-a-half, two years of almost being asked to give up the rights to my daughter, financial things. And you know what? I stuck with it. There was nothing but lies told about me … That means, that guess what? It’s settled, done.”
Court documents stated that Belafonte would receive $5,000 a month for child support as well as $15,000 in spousal support. In addition, Mel B was ordered to pay Belafonte’s legal fees totaling $350,000 The couple sold their Hollywood Hills home for $5.5 million and split the profits evenly.
