Wendy Williams Breaks Down Crying Over Finances in Documentary Trailer: 'I Have No Money'
Author: Anthony Dominic
Wendy Williams
is opening up like never before about her struggles with alcohol abuse
and the financial challenges she faces under a court-appointed
guardianship following the end of her daytime talk show, The Wendy Williams Show.
On Friday, Lifetime released the first trailer for their two-party documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams?, and
the 59-year-old TV personality gets emotional during her sit-down
interview. "If it could happen to me, it could happen to you," she says
of her adversities.
The emotionally charged trailer shows Wendy visibly distressed as she
discusses the financial strain resulting from her guardianship. "I have
no money," she declares, providing a glimpse into the personal turmoil
that has surrounded her life since the end of her talk show.
Lifetime
The documentary also has interviews from her son, Kevin Hunter Jr.,
her sister, Wanda Williams, and other family members as they rally to
support Wendy.
Wanda empathizes with her sister's struggles, stating, "We all make
choices in life. We all go through our challenges. She's still a
person."
Meanwhile, Kevin criticizes the court-appointed guardian, asserting
that they haven't effectively protected the former talk show host. Wanda
echoes this sentiment, calling the system "broken."
Lifetime
"We are her family," Wanda declares, tears welling up, "and you tell
me that I'm not capable of taking care of my sister. What would you do?
What should I do?"
In February 2022, Wells Fargo alleged that
Wendy was of "unsound mind" and required guardianship due to purported
"undue influence and financial exploitation." Wendy has vehemently
denied these claims and has demanded the return of her money.
Lifetime
Although still under guardianship, the trailer suggests that Wendy is
now prioritizing time with her family. "I love being famous," she
declares, "but family is everything -- everything."
In a previous attempt to address her struggles, Wendy checked into a treatment facility in June 2023 to
confront her battle with alcohol addiction, a move prompted by concerns
from her son about the potential fatal consequences of her addiction.
Where is Wendy Williams?, a four-and-a-half-hour, two-night documentary event,will premier Saturday, Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 at 8pm ET/PT on Lifetime.
The TV star reemerges two years after leaving her daytime talk show due
to health problems in a candid first look for her new documentary.
By James Hibberd
Wendy Williams has reemerged into public view in an emotional new trailer for her upcoming Lifetime documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams?
The trailer (below) shows the beloved former talk show host, 59,
tearfully struggling with health issues amid her family and friends
striving to offer their support. The footage is often difficult to
watch, as Williams has clearly suffered mentally and physically.
“I have no money, and I’m gonna tell you something,” Williams says in
the trailer. “If it happens to me, it could happen to you.”
“Mom has done a great job making it seem like everything is OK always,
but in reality, there is something wrong,” says her son Kevin Hunter Jr.
“My mom always talks about how she wants to work, but I think she’s
worked enough. She has people around her who are ‘yes’ people that have
allowed this to continue.”
At one point, an unseen man asks if she drank a bottle of what appears
to be liquor and Williams orders him to “keep the bottle there.”
The documentary has had “unparalleled access” to Williams and her family for nearly two years, per the description.
The official description reads: “After Wendy Williams was placed under a financial guardianship and her hit talk show was unexpectedly canceled,
she was determined to make a career comeback. Opening the doors to her
private life like never before, cameras chronicled her comeback journey
to reclaim her life and legacy despite facing health issues and personal
turbulence. With unparalleled access granted by Wendy to film with her
and her family for nearly two years, what was captured was not what
anyone expected. The documentary provides a raw, honest and unfiltered
reality of Wendy’s life after she was placed under financial
guardianship, shedding light on the vulnerabilities that has turned
Wendy into the Hot Topic herself. Suffering mental and physical issues,
Wendy’s delicate state of mind, erratic behavior and declining health
were all captured by the cameras. Where Is Wendy Williams? is
the story of Wendy’s journey to resurrect her career, and what
filmmakers discovered along the way. But many questions remain — who
truly has Wendy’s best interest at heart? Is she healthy now?”
Williams was a syndicated daytime talk show queen for 12 years until The Wendy Williams Show
was canceled due to her health issues. She first sparked fears for her
health in 2017 when she fainted live on-air. She previously spoke openly
about ongoing issues with substance abuse. In 2022, The Hollywood Reporter extensively reported on Williams’ behind-the-scenes struggles on the show.
The four-and-half hour, two-night documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? will debut Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25, at 8 p.m. On the Friday night prior, Lifetime will encore the biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie and her 2021 documentary, Wendy Williams: What a Mess.
The TV personality is seeking help to manage her health as she hopes to make “a major comeback” in her career
By Vanessa Etienne
Wendy Williams is taking steps toward getting her health on track.
The 58-year-old TV personality has reportedly entered a wellness
facility, seeking help as she hopes to manage her "overall health
issues."
"She is taking some time to focus on her health and wellness as she
prepares for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast,"
a press release from her publicist Shawn Zanotti states. "Ms. Williams
is being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world. We
ask for your prayers and well wishes during this time."
Sherri Shepherd proved to be a fan-favorite among the guest hosts, even scoring season-high ratings during her initial stint last November. It was later announced that the 54-year-old was given her own namesake talk show, Sherri, that would take over Williams' program's time slot. With that, Williams' own show concluded after more than a decade on-air.
"She understands why this decision was made
from a business point of view," Howard Bragman, a rep for Williams,
said in a statement in February. "She has been assured by Debmar-Mercury
that should her health get to a point where she can host again and
should her desire be that she hosts again that she would be back on TV
at that time."
In March, Williams appeared on Good Morning America and assured she was "absolutely" of "sound mind" following speculation about her health.
"When people want control of their accounts, they say anything, including something crazy like that about me," she said.
"[My] health is very well. And I've actually had a few appointments,"
Williams continued. "You know, I'm 57 now and I have the mind and body
of a 25-year-old."
WENDY Williams' family, including her son Kevin Jr., will not
file for guardianship of the star amid her serious health issues, per
sources.
The former queen of daytime TV has been locked in a bitter legal
battle with Wells Fargo over access to her bank accounts, and as The Sun
previously reported that case has been rolled over into a guardianship
case in a New York state court, with her former manager Bernie Young,
75, vying for control of her and her estate.
Wendy Williams is in the center of a contentious guardianship case in New YorkCredit: Getty
Wendy has several family members who could step into guardianship role but have notCredit: Tommy Williams/Facebook
Meanwhile, Wendy,
57, has several family members around her who could try to step into
the role of guardian, but a close source said they don't believe control
over the host's affairs is necessary, as they feel she is capable of handling her own matters.
"Wendy has plenty of people in her orbit that could step in and go up
against Bernie for guardianship but the family is adamant- they don't
think she needs one," an insider told The Sun.
Wendy's sister Wanda has worked as an attorney and is an advocate for kids alongside the child welfare system in Florida, and their brother Tommy is a teacher.
"No one in her family feels like she needs guardianship in place, they believe she is capable of handling her own life," the source claimed.
Additionally, Wendy's son, Kevin Jr., 21, has power of attorney
over his mother, as The Sun previously reported, but is also not filing
for guardianship, according to the insider, because neither he nor his
mother believes one is necessary.
Sources close to Wendy have insisted that the star's health has been improving since she first moved to Florida to be with family while she recovers from a myriad of medical crises.
GOING FOR CONTROL
Multiple sources told The Sun that Wendy's former manager Bernie, 75, is pursuing guardianship over the ailing star.
Meanwhile, one source exclusively alleged that Bernie, who Wendyfired at the start of this year,
used her American Express card to pay for the hiring of attorney
Carolyn Wolf at powerhouse law firm Abrams Fensterman, LLP to pursue
guardianship over the mom of one.
Carolyn’s impressive bio on the law firm’s website touts her
expertise in the field of guardianship cases, along with her specific
experience within various focuses of mental health and hygiene law.
Recently, Wendy addressed Bernie in a rare video that
she shared to Instagram, in which she accused her axed manager of using
her “American Express card to hire an attorney to file a petition
against” her.
Wendy’s former manager Bernie has not responded to The Sun’s repeated requests for comment.
IS WENDY OKAY?
As The Sun previously reported, the former daytime presenter has been
battling medical problems for some time and ultimately lost The Wendy Williams Show after a months-long absence.
A source close to the show previously told The Sun: “The spark is gone.
That Wendy, who for ten years had that spark in her eyes, that cheeky
grin and that little wink is not the same now.”
The insider added some days are better than others for the once feisty daytime diva.
WENDY Williams’ son Kevin, 21, holds power of attorney in her lawsuit against Wells Fargo bank, The Sun can report.
An attorney for Wendy exclusively confirmed to The Sun that the host's son Kevin Hunter Jr., 21, holds power of attorney as his troubled mother's legal team fights to regain access to her frozen accounts.
Wendy Williams' son Kevin Hunter Jr holds power of attorney in the bank lawsuitCredit: Getty
Wendy has been spending a lot of time with her son in FloridaCredit: Mega
A power of attorney gives a designated individual the right to make
decisions about another person's property, finances, or medical care
when the person is unable to do so.
“The only transaction that anyone tried to make is Wendy attempting
to place a power of attorney in the files so that if there were any
inquiries, she could have her son make them.”
The host’s lawyer claimed Wendy’s financial advisor became upset that Kevin Jr became involved in her financial affairs.
The attorney said Wendy’s accounts were frozen by Wells Fargo after Kevin Jr’s power of attorney paperwork was submitted.
“No one attempted to purchase a car or buy property or anything like that. She just wanted online access to her account.”
“We had submitted the power of attorney paperwork to Wells Fargo and they refused to honor it.
Meanwhile, a source close to the case has suggested that the power of
attorney paperwork is one of the central issues that caused Wells Fargo
to freeze the accounts, and triggered the bank’s request to the judge
for a guardianship hearing for the host.
As Page Six first reported, the case was sealed earlier this week.
Any potential guardianship hearings and judgements will not be accessible to the public.
Wendy's ex's role in case
The Sun exclusively revealed earlier this week that the law firm handling Wendy’s case against Wells Fargo is the same firm that represents Kevin’s businesses, including Hunter Publishing and his entertainment group, Head Hunter Productions.
LaShawn Thomas of Miami Entertainment Law Group is working with Wendy
in her lawsuit against her bank to regain access to the alleged
millions of dollars in her accounts.
Thomas confirmed to The Sun she is currently the general counsel for Kevin's businesses but insisted the matters she's handling for the exes are completely separate and unrelated.
“I'm not representing Wendy and Kevin in an adversarial proceeding,”
LaShawn told The Sun, before adding “and Kevin is not that kind of
guy.”
“Whatever is going on with Wendy, I don't disclose to him. I believe in protecting the attorney-client privilege."
Iced out
The contentious battle over access to Wendy’s Wells Fargo accounts
started earlier this month when the Miami Entertainment Law Group filed
an emergency injunction for Wendy to regain access to her accounts.
The attorney for Wendy argued that the ailing host was missing payments to creditors.
The bank has asked to have a guardianship hearing and has since filed
that they are willing to allow payments to go out if Wendy’s
representatives give them the go-ahead.
In an exclusive statement given to The Sun, Wells Fargo said its
“priority is the financial well-being of Ms. Williams and the
preservation of her privacy.
"As we have expressed to the court, Wells Fargo is open to working
with Ms. Williams’ counsel to release funds directly to her creditors
for bills historically and regularly paid from her accounts.”
Bank battle
In the initial filing on behalf of Wendy in trying to re-open the
frozen accounts, Miami Entertainment Law Group said that the host's
financial advisor had allegedly alerted the bank that Wendy appeared to be “of unsound mind,” and the bank further believed she was the victim of “exploitation, dementia or undue influence.”
Wells Fargo responded to Wendy’s team, and told the court that they
have filed a petition for a guardianship hearing, “concerning the
client’s capacity."
The bank’s attorney further alleged, “Wells Fargo has strong reason
to believe that the petitioner is the victim of undue influence and
financial exploitation.”
The bank's response also claimed that Wendy has been a client of the
financial advisor for the past 15 years and that her financial advisor
has an “unblemished record in 23 years in the industry."
In their determination to freeze Wendy’s accounts, Wells Fargo
claimed they relied on reports of the financial advisor, “who has
recently witnessed tell-tale signs of exploitation, including the
petitioner’s own expressed apprehension."
Suffering 'financial harm'
As The Sun previously exclusively reported, Wendy said she has been frozen out of her accounts containing millions of dollars for several weeks.
As The Sun previously reported, the daytime presenter has been battling a health crisis for some time.
Sources said the once witty, sharp host of The Wendy Williams Show
isn't the same as she used to be as she battles multiple medical
problems.
A source close to the show told The Sun: “The spark is gone. That Wendy, who for ten years had that spark in her eyes, that cheeky grin and that little wink is not the same now.”
The insider added some days are better than others for the once feisty daytime diva.
Wendy Williams’ case against Wells Fargo has reportedly
reached a major impasse with the judge’s ruling marking a major turning
point for proceedings.
These findings have been brought to light by Page Six
and as part of the decision, all relevant documents and future
decisions will remain hidden from public records and will require
court-ordered approvals when met with requests for access.
This
news comes shortly after Wells Fargo’s lawyer David H. Pikus penned a
statement on behalf of the financial institution and admitted, “We are
concerned about [Williams’] situation.”
He also voiced concerns
about expediting the request of a guardian for Williams and added, “It
is our hope that the Guardianship Part [of the court] will imminently
appoint a temporary guardian or evaluator to review the situation and
ensure that [Williams’] affairs are being properly handled.”
Williams
on the other hand has been vocal about her anger of the current
situation, and per her lawyer, “Wendy wants the world to know that she
strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and
well-being.”
“[She is] disappointed about falsely circulated
statements from an industry she has devoted her life to. Wendy is
grateful for the love and the outpouring of support she has received
from her fans, and she can’t wait to get back.”
That's
the million dollar question as TV's long-running gossip queen — whose
hot takes on celebrity drama entertained audiences (aka her "co-hosts")
and irked celebrities — has been on extended sick leave from her
eponymous show. Her purple throne, from which she reigned for 12
seasons, collecting dust as a rotation of celebrities stepped in, and
now Sherri Shepherd reportedly sticking around as "permanent guest host."
For viewers of the Wendy Williams Show, the iconic Black host who asks "How you doin'?"
and doesn't hold back on her hot takes has seemingly been in crisis for
several years now. On the show, one of biggest hits in daytime TV
history, Williams has had emergency health issues, exhibited slurred speech and appeared disoriented. She's taken (multiple) extended breaks from the program, citing Graves' disease, only to reveal she was living in a sober home after an addiction relapse. That was followed by a headline-making divorce after her husband of 22 years, and a now-former executive producer on the show, had a child with another woman.
But
even all that pales in comparison to today as 57-year-old Williams —
M.I.A. from the spotlight she revels in, save for a few trips out in bathrobes
— publicly denies she's struggling with her mental health after her
wealth manager at Wells Fargo froze her finances, claiming she is
"incapacitated," "of unsound mind" and in need of a guardianship.
Here's how we got here, which we'll update with new developments:
February: It's announced Williams will not return to her show this season. Popular fill-in Shepherd is working out a deal to be the permanent guest host.
Williams's legal battle with Wells Fargo is revealed. The star, who earns approximately $15 million a year,
says the bank is denying her access to her accounts. Docs show that her
former financial advisor, Lori Schiller, is the one who who froze her
access, claiming Williams is "of unsound mind" and needs a
guardianship.
Wells
Fargo’s attorney David H. Pikus says several million dollars of
Williams's are frozen because the bank "has strong reason to believe
that [Williams] is the victim of undue influence and financial
exploitation." Williams is described as an "incapacitated person" in a legal letter. It's not specified who is allegedly exploiting Williams.
Williams
files an affidavit in New York Supreme Court for a temporary
restraining order against Wells Fargo, calling Schiller a "disgruntled"
former employee. She says the situation "is causing imminent and
irreparable financial harm to myself, my family and my business." Court
documents state she "denies that she is the victim of undue influence
and financial exploitation."
Williams's
attorney issues a statement saying Williams "wants the world to know
that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and
well-being. During this hiatus from the show, Wendy has employed
holistic health professionals to help her reach optimal health during
her treatment of Graves’ disease and thyroid concerns."
The Shade Room posted photos of Williams on Super Bowl Sunday, which she reportedly watched with with her family (though no one else was in the photos).
On Feb. 15, Williams's attorney LaShawn Thomas tells The Sun, in a report confirmed by Yahoo Entertainment, that her client is "looking really good."
"Wendy
is getting [her] hair done, she has a personal trainer that she's
working with and she's doing well," Thomas says. "It's been good for her
to have a change of scenery in Florida, and it's good for her son to be
by her side. That always lights up any parent's life."
While
Thomas represents Williams in her Wells Fargo case, she also represents
the talk show host's ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, in other matters.
However, she explains that she didn't represent either of them in their
divorce, so there's no conflict of interest.
Thomas
says she first represented Williams two years before the divorce, and
that Hunter had not been involved in the arrangement.
"I
am extremely honored to say that Wendy and Kevin both have enough
confidence in my abilities that each party has separately elected to
continue to utilize my services," Thomas says.
December: Williams is photographed leaving a Miami wellness center in a robe. She says she's doing "better every day."
Her brother says the family had no concerns about Williams's "mental state. It’s all physical."
Williams is spotted, fully dressed, in NYC. She also is seen spending time with son Kevin Hunter Jr.
November:
Williams says she's "making progress" in health battle "but it's just
one of those things that's taking longer than we expected. I'm a woman
of a certain age, and I know enough to listen to my doctors and will
return to my purple chair as soon as we all agree I'm ready."
Shepherd is a clear fave as guest host, drawing the highest ratings of the season.
October: Williams postpones her postponed premiere date,
from Oct. 4 to Oct. 18, again citing "ongoing medical issues." Her rep
says COVID is no longer an issue, but she's "still not ready to return
to work."
Ahead of the twice postponed premiere, it's announced that guest hosts,
including Leah Remini, would start the season as Williams needed more
time to recover. "Wendy continues to be under medical supervision and
meets with her medical team on a daily basis," a rep says. "She is
making progress but is experiencing serious complications as a direct
result of Graves' disease and her thyroid condition."
The show premieres.
September: After summer hiatus, Williams is set to promote Season 13 of her hit show, but abruptly cancels, citing
"ongoing health issues" that needed "further evaluations." It's
promised the radio-turned-TV-host would be ready for her premiere on
Sept. 20.
Days ahead of the premiere, it's announced it's postponed to
Oct. 4 because Williams has "breakthrough" COVID. That is curious, as
Williams said on air that she wouldn't be getting vaccinated. A source
close to Yahoo confirms she was in fact vaccinated.
Her brother Tommy denies a report that she was admitted to a New York hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. He also suggests she wasn't vaccinated. "We're praying," he said, adding, "She's fighting."
Williams is photographed twice by paparazzi out in a robe and hospital socks, once in a wheelchair and the other while also vaping.
Williams is facing off with her bank, Wells Fargo, after they've
frozen her accounts for at least two weeks over the state of her mental
health, reports Variety.
"On behalf of Wendy Hunter, professionally known as Wendy Williams,
as counsel to her and her affairs, Wendy wants the world to know that
she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and
well-being," Williams' attorney, LaShawn Thomas, said in a statement
Monday. "During this hiatus from the show, Wendy has employed holistic
health professionals to help her reach optimal health during her
treatment of Graves' disease and thyroid concerns."
Williams' former financial advisor, Lori Schiller, had initially deemed the talk show host was "of unsound mind";
Schiller had been fired due to alleged "malfeasance" regardign the
accounts. Nevertheless, in a recent letter addressed to the New York
Supreme Court, Wells Fargo
described Williams as an "incapacitated person" and requested that she
be placed under temporary guardianship. The bank also allegedly refused
to honor Williams' Power of Attorney.
"We are concerned about [Wendy Williams'] situation," the letter disclosed, per Page Six.
"It is our hope that the Guardianship Part will imminently appoint a
temporary guardian or evaluator to review the situation and ensure that
[Williams'] affairs are being properly handled."
On Tuesday, a Wells Fargo spokesperson told Variety that the bank's
priority is "the financial well-being of Ms. Williams and the
preservation of her privacy. . . . As we have expressed to the Court,
Wells Fargo is open to working with Ms. Williams' counsel to release
funds directly to her creditors for bills historically and regularly
paid from her accounts."
Williams, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition Grave's
disease in 2018, continues to recover from various medical conditions
and concerns. At this time, it's unclear when she'll be able to return
to "The Wendy Williams Show." Last week, it was announced that former "The View" co-host Sherri Shepherd will take over as a permanent guest host in September.
"Wendy wants you to know she is fine; she is of sound mind and
disappointed about falsely circulated statements from an industry she
has devoted her life to," Thomas' statement continued. "She thanks
everyone who has been patiently awaiting her return and believes that,
thanks in large part to the love and support of her son, her family, her
new team of doctors and a change of scenery, she is on the mend. Wendy
says to all her fans, 'How you doing?' So, please send her positive
messages, energy, and affirmations to her social media that she can read
daily."
Wells Fargo continues to make disconcerting claims about Wendy Williams’ health.
A week after locking the daytime diva out of the millions in her account due to fears of “dementia or undue influence,” the bank has now alleged The Wendy Williams Show host is an “incapacitated person” who needs a guardianship.
On Thursday, Wells Fargo sent a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Arlene Bluth requesting a hearing to determine whether the media personality needs a professional to intervene in her affairs. Attorney David Pikus wrote on behalf of the bank in the letter:
“We are concerned about [Williams’] situation. It is our hope that
the Guardianship Part [of the court] will imminently appoint a temporary
guardian or evaluator to review the situation and ensure that
[Williams’] affairs are being properly handled.”
Yikes. When a bank is concerned, we should probably be concerned, too, right…?
The note came after Williams’ attorney Celeste McCaw
filed an emergency petition last Friday claiming Wells Fargo had “for
more than two weeks” denied the 57-year-old access to her “accounts,
assets and statements” after her former financial adviser Lori Schiller alleged Wendy — who hasn’t hosted her daytime talk show since July 2021 due to ongoing health issues — was “of unsound mind.”
In the court docs, McCaw said Williams had fired Schiller as her
adviser due to alleged “malfeasance” involving her accounts as well as
“improper conduct in relation to their professional relationship.”
Innerestingly, though, the lawyer admitted Williams “continues to rely
on Schiller’s advisement.” Huh?? On Wednesday, Pikus argued in a
separate letter sent to the judge that Wells Fargo “has strong reason to
believe” Williams is a “victim of undue influence and financial
exploitation.” He requested to keep the case “under seal” to “preserve
the confidential nature.”
The bank’s attorney alleged Schiller had “recently witnessed signs of
exploitation, including [Williams’] own expressed apprehensions” about
the people around her, adding that “other independent third parties who
know [Williams] well … share these concerns.”
In response to Wednesday’s letter, McCaw wrote that Williams “denies
that she is the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.”
Wendy’s lawyer requested a temporary restraining order against the bank
to restrain it “from freezing [Williams’] accounts and interfering with
her right to access her financial assets and statements.”
A spokesperson for Wells Fargo said in a statement to Page Six Thursday:
“We deny any allegations of improper actions with respect to Ms.
Williams’ accounts and are fully participating in a court process to
reach a resolution that is in her best interest. The financial
well-being of our clients is at the heart of everything we do.”
This is getting stranger by the day, Perezcious readers. Who do U think is telling the truth here?
WENDY Williams’ bank called her an “incapacitated person” who is the
possible “victim of financial exploitation” in an ongoing lawsuit, The
Sun can exclusively report.
Wendy's legal team filed for an emergency petition last week demanding Wells Fargo allow her access to her bank accounts, which they alleged had been frozen for more than two weeks.
4
Wendy Williams' bank called her an 'alleged incapacitated person'Credit: Mega
4
Wells Fargo has filed a petition for a guardianship hearing for the ailing hostCredit: Fox
The Wendy Williams Show host's financial advisor had allegedly alerted the bank that the host appeared to be “of unsound mind,”
and the bank further believed she was the victim of “exploitation,
dementia or undue influence,” according to her team’s petition seeking
to reopen the accounts.
The Sun can now exclusively reveal that Wells Fargo has responded to
Wendy’s team, and told the court that they have filed a petition for a
guardianship hearing, “concerning the client’s capacity."
The bank’s attorney further alleged “Wells Fargo has strong reason to
believe that the petitioner is the victim of undue influence and
financial exploitation.”
Wells Fargo's team also suggests the guardianship proceedings
continue under seal, as they would like “to preserve the confidential
interests of the alleged incapacitated person.”
The bank's response also claimed that Wendy has been a client of the
financial advisor for the past 15 years and that her financial advisor
has an “unblemished record in 23 years in the industry."
In their determination to freeze Wendy’s accounts, Wells Fargo
claimed they relied on reports of the financial advisor, “who has
recently witnessed tell-tale signs of exploitation, including the
petitioner’s own expressed apprehension.
The bank also claimed to have spoken to "independent third parties who know the petitioner well and share these concerns.”
Wendy’s team filed their response, and denied Wells Fargo’s claims
that “Wendy is the victim of undue influence and financial
exploitation.”
‘IRREPARABLE FINANCIAL HARM’
As The Sun previously exclusively reported, Wendy says she has been frozen out of her accounts containing millions of dollars for over two weeks.
Wendy and her representatives claimed that Wells Fargo had told them
they would be given a ruling after she provided them with a “properly
executed, witnessed, and notarized Power of Attorney and signed letter
of representation."
A power of attorney gives a designated individual the right to make
decisions about another person's property, finances, or medical care
when the person is unable to do so.
The court papers do not specify who is authorized to act on her behalf or what powers were assigned to that person.
Wendy argued in the papers that the bank “repeatedly denied" her
requests to access her financial assets, which total over "several
million dollars.”
She wrote: “I have submitted multiple written requests to Wells Fargo
and I have visited various Wells Fargo branches in the South Florida
area in an effort to resolve this matter outside of the courtroom.
“I have defaulted and I am at risk of defaulting on several billing
and financial obligations, including, but not limited to, mortgage
payments and employee payroll.”
'DEMENTIA' CLAIMS
As The Sun previously reported, Wendy claimed that Wells Fargo
officials had justified their decision to keep Wendy’s accounts frozen
by referencing their authority to “pause or reject instructions for a
proposed transaction, pending judicial or administrative remedies,
should they suspect financial exploitation, dementia, or undue
influence."
The host’s legal team claimed that the bank had overreached in its
authority, in part because Wendy had not proposed any transaction which
should give the bank the discretion to stop her access to the
accounts.
Her attorney has sought court orders to allow her “access to her
financial accounts, assets, and statements," while her dispute with
Wells Fargo is resolved in arbitration, but since Friday, the case has
escalated with the temporary restraining order filed Wednesday.
After a rotating roster of guest hosts, TMZ first reported that Sherri will be a permanent replacement barring a recovery and potential return from Wendy.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH WENDY?
As The Sun previously reported, the daytime presenter has been battling a health crisis for some time.
Sources said the once witty, sharp host of The Wendy Williams Show
isn't the same as she used to be as she battles multiple medical
problems.
A source close to the show told The Sun: “The spark is gone. That Wendy, who for ten years had that spark in her eyes, that cheeky grin and that little wink is not the same now.”
The insider added some days are better than others for the once feisty daytime diva.
On November 8, the show’s Instagram released a statement from Wendy
saying she was still coping with health issues, and as a “woman of a
certain age” she knew to listen to her doctors and that “right now,
Wendy has to focus on Wendy.”
The Sun exclusively reported that at the start of the pandemic
lockdown in 2020, the host allegedly struggled with her addiction issues
which spiraled into a dark and troubling incident in May of that year.
According to sources, Wendy’s manager was summoned to her penthouse apartment after she had appeared unwell during a Zoom show taping earlier in the week.
Her manager and a small group of confidants arrived at the host’s
home to lend support to the struggling talk show queen.
According to multiple sources, Wendy had stripped naked in her room and was shouting vulgar comments.
The host was eventually taken to the hospital, where she would remain for weeks.
Reps for Wendy and The Wendy Williams Show did not respond to The Sun's multiple requests for comment.
