Former “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Nene Leakes reportedly ditched rent court, forcing a delay in settling a dispute between her and the landlord on the property that used to house her clothing store, Swagg Boutique.
The reality-star-turned-influencer signed a lease to the property in 2017, according to the lawsuit filed by real estate company MPG-Sugarloaf. She then turned around and extended the contract for an additional four years.
However, after a dip in sales during the pandemic, she vacated the property in January 2022.
With the vacating of the property, she reportedly also left a $22,900.75 rent bill unpaid, prompting the former landlord to take her to court for it.
Leakes and her late husband Gregg owned several of the Swagg Boutiques along the Eastern seaboard, one in Georgia, one in Maryland and one in Miami.
By 2020, all three stores, including the Georgia shop, closed due to pandemic-related restrictions.
In July 2023, the former landlord sent a letter requesting payment, but Nene Leakes didn’t respond.
A subpoena was served to the Georgia Peach on Aug. 16, tracking her down at her $1 million Atlanta condo. Still, according to RadarOnline, Leakes did not appear in court to settle the dispute.
Previously, Leakes, whose estimated net worth is $14 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, stated she did not believe she was responsible for the lease because she technically did not sign it.
“Gregg signed the lease not me! He ain’t here,” she reportedly said.
Because she did not respond to the lawsuit deadline on Sept. 18 and did not appear in court, MPG-Sugarloaf is now seeking a default judgment against the two-time Broadway star. They want the amount of the rent, plus attorney fees of $2,315, $416 in court costs, and interest.
Delinquent rent is not the only legal problem that Leakes has been dealing with over the last six months.
In September 2023, it was reported that she was working to square up a dispute about a car with a long-time friend, Sean Bush.
Earlier in the year, on April 12, she filed a “warrant application & affidavit” in a Georgia Court, saying she gave the friend possession of the vehicle in December 2022 but never the title.
“I gave my car to a family friend who owned a dealership to sell in December 2022. I never gave my title. He sold my car and never gave me the money,” Leakes wrote.
She and Bush would later settle out of court, voluntarily dismissing the complaint.