Tyrese Defends Lavish Dubai Vacation While He’s Unable to Pay Ex-Wife $10k Per Month in Child Support
March 12 2024, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Tyrese claimed his recent trips overseas cost him next to nothing — and should not be used as evidence by his ex-wife Samantha Lee in their ongoing child support war.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Tyrese asked a court to shut down Samantha in her attempt to have him found in contempt.
As we previously reported, last year, Samantha accused Tyrese of refusing to pay the full $10k per month in child support he had been ordered to pay.
Samantha said Tyrese had paid her less than half the required amount in December 2023 and January 2024. The exes share a 4-year-old daughter named Soraya.
In response, Tyrese admitted he did not pay the full amount but said his actions were not malicious. The actor said that his income had dropped drastically since the child support order was entered.
Tyrese’s lawyer argued, “the years in which he films [a Fast & Furious] franchise movie, his income is the highest in those years. In 2022, [Gibson] filmed the franchise movie in question, and he has not filmed any segment in that franchise movie since 2022. Consequently, [Gibson’s] income has fluctuated downward since the trial in this case, and as expected, [Gibson] does not earn the same amount that he earned in August 2022.”
Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free.
He explained the 2023 strikes by WGA and SAG had impacted his ability to work for months.
His lawyer added, “[Gibson] was gravely impacted just as everyone who works in Hollywood. Because of the six-month work stoppage in the film industry in 2023, and because [Gibson] has not shot a major film since 2022, [Gibson’s] income has decreased to less than twenty percent (20%) of what [Gibson] was earning in August 2022, which [Gibson] would like to prove at a hearing on this matter.”
In his filing, Tyrese also addressed his recent vacations. In December, the entertainer posted photos of him celebrating his 45th birthday with his current girlfriend Zelie in Dubai. The actor shared photos from a trip to Egypt around the same time.
In his motion, his lawyers said, "Undoubtedly, [Samantha's] counsel will bring up [Tyrese's] Holiday Trip where [Tyrese] utilized his frequent flyer miles to visit and stay with a friend in a foreign country, not knowing that the flight cost [Tyrese] nothing and that [Tyrese] was hosted by his good friend during his trip outside of the U.S."
A judge has yet to rule on the matter.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Tyrese is still in the middle of a legal battle with Home Depot over alleged racial discrimination during a February 2023 store visit.