Divorce is never easy. Even when a couple has been married and happy for a long time, divorce can bring out the ugly side. For former Bachelorette star DeAnna Pappas and ex-husband, Stephen Stagliano, things continue to get messy. In the latest news, Stephen denies that he committed fraud or intentionally concealed assets during their divorce.
The divorce fight between DeAnna Pappas and her ex is escalating
DeAnna and Stephen met through his twin brother and got engaged in August 2010. The couple got married in Georgia in October 2011. They have two children. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out. They announced their separation in January 2023.
At the time, it didn’t look like the divorce was going to be contentious. But a lot can change in a couple of years. DeAnna accused Stephen of deliberately hiding assets during the divorce proceedings.
According to her, he withdrew money from his retirement account. She was owed a cut of that account, hence her decision to accuse him of fraud. Now, Stephen is replying to the filing. TMZ learned through court documents that Stephen admitted to withdrawing money but that he used it for living expenses, including bills for the children.
He said that he did not believe and was not aware that he was “violating the court’s order or acting improperly.” Stephen does not dispute that he owes DeAnna a big amount, but denies that he ever told her, “I don’t need your permission or anyone else’s for that matter, to use my money how I want.”
He claims he has continued making spousal support payments while actively seeking employment and working to maintain financial stability. He also claimed he was in “financial distress” but will cooperate to complete the fund transfer of what he owes DeAnna.
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