Kevin Hunter, the previous spouse of renowned talk show host Wendy Williams, has recently initiated legal action against her appointed guardian. The legal proceedings were lodged in the Southern District Court of New York on June 17, 2025, bringing to light various entities allegedly participating in the exploitation of Williams. Wendy Williams was issued a court-mandated financial guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, as of 2022 following Williams’ diagnosis of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and her subsequent shift into an assisted living setup for increasing care. The decision was made post her banking partner, Wells Fargo, froze her accounts and asked for legal input on her mental competency.
Williams has been combating the notion of her cognitive impairment since the start of 2025. In a notable discussion, she described her situation as being entrapped in a ‘prison’, implying her unhappiness with her predicament. Hunter’s lawsuit, reported as being made on behalf of his former wife, proposes that Wendy’s constitutional rights have been grossly violated, with him branding guardianship as a civil demise. He put forth an assertion that suggested over 28,000 adults are experiencing neglect, mishandling, and financial extortion under such court-ordained arrangements, highlighting a broader systemic issue.
Wendy Williams was wedded to TV producer Kevin Hunter during the late part of the nineties, and they birthed a son. Along with being Williams’ spouse, Hunter also was her managerial associate. However, their marriage met its end with Williams filing for divorce in 2019, due to Hunter fathering a child outside their marriage. As per the court documents, Hunter’s contestation centers around whether proper legal standards were upheld.
In the legal files, Hunter puts forth an accusation that his ex-partner was exposed to ‘unrestrained abuse, maltreatment, and fiscal malfeasance’ during the duration of her enforced guardianship, which has stretched over three years. He went to the lengths of suggesting that these proceedings were conducted in secrecy, depriving Williams of the chance for adequate legal representation. Through his insights, it can be construed that Williams didn’t have a chance to have an independent medical evaluation before she was placed inside the confines of the guardianship.
Hunter’s lawsuit presents a list of 48 defendants, an extensive roster inclusive of Sabrina Morrissey, the adjudicator assigned to her case, the institution that houses her, legal representatives, and the finance giant Wells Fargo. Each of these parties is accused of exploiting Wendy Williams’ situation to their own undue advantage. Scandalous instances such as those involving her personal care specialists photographing her without her consent, needless location sharing, and unauthorized sale of her photos and personal information, are pointed out as evidence.
The lawsuit further asserts that the judge in her case interfered with the rights of his former wife’s legal counsel to file legal documents, make court appearances, access past court documents. In addition, derogatory claims have been leveled against Wells Fargo and the court-appointed lawyer of Williams. Concerning Williams’ financial advisor at Wells Fargo, the accusation was made that the advisor authorized the disbursement of funds from Williams’ account to a doctor.
The claim extends to state that it was this doctor who supposedly composed the medical opinion letter recommending that the former host requires a guardianship. Kevin Hunter condemns the guardianship as a ‘weapon’ rather than a ‘shield,’ suggesting that Wendy Williams continues to be held captive under an ‘unscrupulous, illegal enterprise’. He solicits the intervention of the court to liberate her from what he calls a ‘fraudulent servitude’.
Coming to the actions of Sabrina Morrissey, the guardian, Hunter alleges that she falsely reported Williams had voluntarily refrained from engaging in a ‘competency evaluation’. The lawsuit counters by alleging that the host of the Wendy Williams Show had, in fact, passed the aforementioned test. Furthermore, accusations of fiscal mismanagement have been made against Sabrina, involving the profit loss on Williams’ penthouse in NYC and sales of her personal assets.
Among the personal assets allegedly sold under Sabrina’s management were two of Wendy’s cherished rescued cats – a decision Hunter suggests was reached without Williams’ awareness. This deprived the host of a source of consolation and emotional support during a difficult time. The lawsuit goes on to claim that the inability of Williams to work due to her situation has led to a steep fall in earnings, amounting to a loss of $20 million per annum.
The profit losses continue to escalate with alleged mishandling of funds that include access to Williams’ son’s college fund and the alleged use of Williams’ own finances being utilized for the legal case against her. The primary objective of this lawsuit isn’t necessarily aiming to terminate the existing guardianship, but it does seek the appointment of a ‘new impartial guardian’ for the former talk show host. It also pushes for the cessation of what is termed as her ‘involuntary confinement’.
The lawsuit’s further requests include the unsealing of any documents related to Wendy Williams’ case, and a full forensic accounting to inspect any instances of financial misconduct. The compensation being sought amounts to $250 million. Kevin Hunter has been labelled as a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit. As noted in the legal document, Hunter seeks to be nominated as Wendy Williams’ ‘next friend’, a legal term that enables him to act on behalf of Williams in her best interests.
Wendy Williams, however, issued a statement that she had no part to play in the legal action taken by her ex-husband. She has critiqued it as a ploy to snatch money. Meanwhile, the counsel for Hunter has admitted that Williams was not ‘legally aware’ of all evidence they possess in support of her case. Nonetheless, they allowed for the legal proceeding with the intention to have her rights ‘vindicated’ and her financial losses ‘restored’.
According to Hunter’s lawsuit, as a ‘next friend’ he would represent the rights of a person who is incapable of representing themselves and who lacks a guardian acting in their best interest. This role is significant as it bypasses Wendy’s restriction under the current guardianship, enabling Hunter to fight for what he contends are his ex-wife’s rightful interests. Williams denial of involvement visualizes the controversy surrounding this case, highlighting its complexity with various interests at play.
The lawsuit is likely to be a hot topic of debate with severe implications for how financial guardianship and elder care are administered within the legal system. Critically, it questions the legitimacy of Wendy’s initial diagnosis and subsequent guardianship, setting forth claims of severe violation of constitutional rights, extreme negligence, and financial abuse. It starkly presents the potential risks and systemic issues present under situations of enforced guardianship of adults.
The multi-million-dollar lawsuit seeks extensive compensatory damages, and viewers worldwide will closely follow its progress. The results could have lasting implications on the governance and transparency of guardianship and adult care processes. This case encapsulates both the personal battles of a well-known figure and highlights wider concerns in our society regarding how we support those living under enforced guardianships.
The post Kevin Hunter Challenges Wendy Williams’ Guardianship in Landmark Lawsuit appeared first on Real News Now.
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