In a legal battle unfolding in a Florida court, former Spice Girls singer Mel B, also known as Melanie Brown, is the defendant in a $5 million defamation lawsuit filed by her ex-husband, Stephen Belafonte.
Belafonte alleges a deliberate campaign orchestrated by Brown to tarnish his reputation, following their tumultuous divorce.
Court documents reveal Belafonte’s claims of a systematic effort by Brown to inflict severe emotional distress, initiated by accusations of domestic violence in 2017.
Despite Brown retracting these claims prior to legal proceedings, Belafonte asserts irreparable harm had already occurred, leading to a temporary loss of access to his home and children, including their 12-year-old daughter, Madison.
Belafonte further alleges Brown leveled serious accusations, including rape, illegal gun possession, sex trafficking, and child endangerment.
Belafonte contends since 2019, Brown’s involvement in their daughter Madison’s life has been minimal, with infrequent visits even when Brown was based in the U.S. for work.
Moreover, Belafonte claims their marital discord was exacerbated by Brown’s substance abuse issues and escalated when he was falsely accused of impregnating their nanny.
While Brown initially sought a restraining order against Belafonte and the nanny, she later withdrew the filing.
As part of the defamation lawsuit, Belafonte submitted alleged text messages between Brown and her former Spice Girls bandmate Geri Halliwell, indicating Brown’s lack of interest 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 allocate any winnings from the lawsuit to a program for abused women.
