Former Spice Girls singer Mel B, also known as Melanie Brown, is embroiled in a legal battle as her ex-husband, Stephen Belafonte, filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against her in a Florida court.
Belafonte alleges that Brown has been on a concerted effort to tarnish his reputation following their tumultuous divorce.
According to court documents, Belafonte accuses Brown of orchestrating a campaign to inflict severe emotional distress on him, beginning with allegations of domestic violence in 2017.
Despite Brown reportedly retracting these claims before they reached court, Belafonte contends that the damage had already been done, resulting in temporary loss of access to his home and children, including their 12-year-old daughter, Madison.
Belafonte, a film producer, further claims that Brown’s allegations included serious accusations such as rape, illegal gun possession, sex trafficking, and child endangerment.
He asserts that despite maintaining primary custody of Madison since 2019, Brown has exhibited minimal involvement in their daughter’s life, alleging infrequent visits even when based in the U.S. for work.
Additionally, Belafonte alleges that their marriage was marred by Brown’s substance abuse issues and escalated when he was falsely accused of impregnating their nanny.
While Brown sought a restraining order against Belafonte and the nanny, she later withdrew her filing.
As part of his defamation lawsuit, Belafonte submitted alleged text messages between Brown and her former Spice Girls bandmate Geri Halliwell, suggesting Brown’s disinterest in charitable endeavors despite her public image as a philanthropist.
Belafonte’s legal team seeks a gag order against Brown to prevent further defamation and demands $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a trial by jury.
Belafonte intends to share any winnings from the lawsuit with a program for abused women.
Legal proceedings are set to unfold in court soon.
