A lot is known about Serena Williams, her father Richard Williams, and their humble background. But the same cannot be said about Serena’s stepmother, Lakeisha Williams (Graham). The Williams sisters were born to Oracene Price (maiden name), who also bought an LA mansion from her daughters. However, after Richard Williams and Oracene Price got divorced, he met Lakeisha, a grocery store owner. Today, Lakeisha is fighting a court case for one of her acts involving the Williams family’s $1.4 million family home in Florida, as per The Sun.
Lakeisha Graham and Richard Williams got hitched in 2010 and were divorced in 2017. She was the 3rd wife of Richard, after Betty Johnson and Oracene Price. Post their separation, things didn’t turn out great for Lakeisha. She became a stripper and committed a crime against her ex-husband i.e. WIlliams.
A Telegraph article notes that Lakeisha Williams forged Richard Williams’ signature on mortgage papers and unlawfully took his Florida home. The Palm Beach, Florida home, one that costs $1.4 million, was taken by Lakeisha without permission or prior knowledge of Richard Williams. Williams, who was aged 76 in 2018, was already suffering from a neurological condition, which has not allowed him to speak properly. Therefore, his son, Chavoita LeSane acts as his interpreter and power of attorney.
Now, 6 years later in 2024, Lakeisha is struggling to pay back a $600,000 debt, which is linked to the mansion. She awaits the verdict as she fights the case, centering around Richard Williams’ alleged bad behavior towards her. Lakeisha claimed that her ex-husband threw her and their son, Dylan Starr Richard Williams, out of his house one fine day all of a sudden, without compensating them for anything. Richard, however, has a different story, calling her a drunkard and troublemaker.
How is Serena Williams’ stepmother Lakeisha Williams living now?
The Florida home in question has been with the Williams since 1995. Richard Williams had bought it for $355,000 back then. David Simon, a lender, helped Lakeisha Williams get the loan to buy the house. And now, he has been running frantically to get back his payment including interest.
Court papers suggest that Lakeisha wasted the money on multiple businesses such as transport and fast food. Although it appears that Lakeisha Williams might be in trouble, she continues to spend money on other frivolities. She is living a carefree and reckless lifestyle akin to a lavish one, despite being in trouble.
After denying all of Lakeisha’s allegations, Richard Williams believes his marriage to her is “irretrievably broken”.
“I do not wish to reconcile,” Richard Williams had said to Page Six.
Chavoita Le Sane too once complained against Lakeisha Williams of ‘elder abuse’.
He told the The US Sun, “I can’t remember how long it was into the relationship as far as my dad starting to have financial headaches, like, ‘What’s going on with my social security checks? Lakeisha took the Mercedes, she took the bus, she took money, what else was it? The motorcycle.”
The court is expected to come up with a verdict on the case soon, which is likely to go in favor of Serena Williams and family.
