NEW YORK — Kevin Hunter, the ex-husband of talk show icon Wendy Williams, has filed a sweeping $250 million federal lawsuit accusing Williams’ court-appointed guardian, the presiding judge, Wells Fargo, and several others of misconduct, abuse, and financial exploitation.
The lawsuit, filed earlier this week in the Southern District of New York, names 48 defendants in total — including guardian Sabrina Morrissey, New York Supreme Court Justice Lisa Sokoloff, the bank that froze Williams’ accounts in 2022, and staff at the Manhattan assisted-living facility where the former TV host currently resides.
Hunter claims the guardianship, which has controlled Williams’ health and finances since 2022, has robbed her of her freedom, earnings, and well-being, describing the arrangement as “a weapon, not a shield.”
Williams tells TMZ that she had no involvement in this lawsuit and that it’s simply a money grab.
Claims of Exploitation and Isolation
According to the complaint, Hunter alleges that Williams — once among daytime television’s highest-paid stars — has been overmedicated, isolated from friends and family, and blocked from making independent legal and financial decisions.
The lawsuit further accuses Morrissey and other defendants of mismanaging Williams’ estimated $80 million estate, selling off assets without her consent, and failing to protect her privacy and basic needs. Among the most emotional allegations: Hunter claims that Williams’ two beloved rescue cats were secretly sold, depriving her of emotional support while under professional care.
Hunter asserts that the guardianship has cost Williams up to $20 million a year in lost income and prevented her from pursuing new projects or managing her career.
Concerns About Due Process
The suit also raises questions about how the guardianship was imposed in the first place. Hunter contends that no independent medical evaluation was conducted before control of Williams’ finances was handed over to a guardian. He alleges that Judge Sokoloff blocked Williams from hiring her own lawyers to challenge the arrangement, further violating her civil rights.
What Hunter Wants
Rather than simply dissolving the guardianship outright, Hunter’s lawsuit asks the court to appoint an independent guardian, unseal all records related to Williams’ health and finances, and release her from involuntary confinement in her current facility.
He is also demanding a full forensic accounting of Williams’ finances, the appointment of himself as her legal “next friend” — allowing him to act in her best interest — and $250 million in damages for lost income, reputational harm, legal costs, and emotional distress.
Hunter argues that the case underscores the urgent need for guardianship reform nationwide, warning that the system too often exploits, rather than protects, vulnerable adults.
Williams’ Ongoing Struggles
Williams, 60, has battled significant health issues in recent years, including a diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia — a diagnosis that she and her family have sometimes disputed.
Since Wells Fargo froze her accounts citing “suspected financial exploitation” in 2022, Williams has remained under the supervision of a court-appointed guardian whose identity and decisions have largely been kept sealed from the public.
Earlier this year, Williams reportedly passed a competency evaluation but remains under guardianship, according to her family’s statements and recent court filings.
What Happens Next
The defendants have not yet responded publicly to Hunter’s allegations. If the case proceeds, a jury trial could force rare transparency into the secretive world of adult guardianships — a system that critics say is ripe for abuse and lacks adequate oversight.
For now, fans and supporters continue to express concern for Williams’ well-being and hope she regains both her health and her freedom.
