Wendy Williams’ former attorney claims the talk show host was “left for dead” by her ex-financial manager.
LaShawn Thomas exclusively tells Vidak For Congress in a lengthy statement that Wells Fargo financial adviser Lori Schiller, who no longer works for Williams but is embroiled in her lawsuit against the bank, is trying to “cloud the waters” by allegedly contributing to a false report that Williams’ son misused her American Express card.
“The real problem is that Wells Fargo, through their advisor, refused to give Wendy access to her own accounts, including the right to check her balance,” Thomas said.
“No bank should have the authority to do that. No one has tried to access Wendy’s accounts. The Wells Fargo Advisor and [Young] were the only people with access. … They left Wendy to die.”
Thomas explains that because Williams, 58, had no access to her money, she was forced to use her AmEx for “all her living expenses,” including flights to and from New York for doctor’s appointments, groceries, etc. since the shock jock’s As her health has taken a turn for the worse, her 22-year-old son, Kevin Hunter Jr., has stepped in to help her “both mentally and physically with the help of a team of doctors,” the attorney said.
“He coordinated all her appointments, made sure she attended all appointments, cooked and cleaned for his mother,” Thomas continues. “He absolutely loves his mother without a doubt, and no one should blame or accuse him of wrongdoing.”
Kevin Jr’s defense comes after a report claimed he charged $100,000 from his mother’s credit card without authorization and “demands” Schiller to pay it. The validity of the report is unclear, as it was linked to an anonymous source, but the University of Miami student denied the claims in a statement, telling The US Sun: “I strongly deny all allegations of unauthorized use of the American Express card from my mother… This is a false story that is being perpetuated to justify freezing her accounts.”
However, Thomas said that former Schiller and Williams manager Bernie Young were the only people who had access to her accounts.
“Lori’s responsibility was to pay all of Wendy and Kevin Jr’s bills. Kevin has always contacted Lori about paying bills, she said. “If anyone (Wendy or Kevin) needed money, they had to contact Lori so she could initiate the payment.”
Vidak For Congress has learned that Williams’ desire to have Kevin Jr. buying an apartment in Miami, which would eventually lead to the custody she now lives under, as determined by a New York court.
A source tells us that Williams enlisted Schiller to work out the details of the property purchase because the advisor allegedly promised the author of “Wendy’s Got the Heat” that she would help her avoid commission fees. A month before Kevin Jr.’s lease. however, he received a call from his landlord that he had never received an offer to purchase and that the price had increased by another $250,000.
Thomas confirms these claims in her statement, explaining that Schiller – out of nowhere – Kevin Jr. said she “could no longer talk to him without Wendy’s written consent” because a verbal “was no longer sufficient.” In response, Williams requested to be taken to a local Wells Fargo branch to submit the written authorization and power of attorney; However, Thomas claims that the local branch manager “refused” to accept the power of attorney.
Williams and the branch manager called Schiller, who was in charge, who then only agreed to speak with Williams without anyone else present, including Thomas, who was her legal representative at the time.
“The right to an attorney is a constitutional right that a financial institution does not have the freedom to shorten,” Thomas said in her statement, pointing out that Schiller eventually agreed to fly to Miami to meet Williams, but she never was. arrived.
“Instead of, [Schiller] locked Wendy out of all her accounts,” Thomas claims. “[Schiller] restricted all access to each individual account. Wendy was not even allowed to go to the bank and withdraw money in person.
“… Wendy, a woman who has worked hard for her wealth, was out of money,” the statement added.
Williams’ representative said the former radio host had no response.
“The real goal here is to help Wendy take full and exclusive control of the assets she’s been working hard on for the past 30 years of her life,” Shawn Zanotti told Vidak For Congress. “We’d appreciate it if you give her time to heal.”
Schiller did not respond to Vidak For Congress’s request for comment, but a Wells Fargo spokesperson has denied “all allegations of improper actions regarding Ms Williams’ accounts.”
Williams has been under guardianship since the spring — which she “didn’t agree” because she “feels capable” of managing her money.