Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, recently filed for divorce from his 38-year-old wife Lakeisha. Williams accused Lakeisha of being an alcoholic, stealing money and other offenses, but Lakeisha claims Williams has caused all the problems.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Lakeisha claims she had to remove an “arsenal of firearms including an AK-47” from the couple’s home out of fear that Williams might harm her or hers and Richard’s 5-year-old child. She also says the 75-year-old has been acting “erratic and hostile” and that she fears for her safety and the child’s.
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In fact, 38-year-old Lakeisha claims she’s been essentially raising their child on her own because 75-year-old Richard refuses to get involved. She says school officials, teachers and doctors will corroborate her claims.
Lakeisha also says he’s afraid Richard will go all “scorched Earth” on her to retaliate for airing their issues in court. She claims Richard will essentially cut her off financially.
As for the guns, Lakeisha says they have been “safeguarded” and are available at the court’s request.
Williams and Lakeisha have been married for seven years, and it’s clear their split is going to be a messy one. You can read more about the accusations Williams made against his wife here.
Williams divorced from Serena and Venus’ mother in 2002. Richard was suspected of potential domestic violence committed against ex-wife Oracene Price in 1999, but he was never charged. He was intricately involved in the coaching and development of his daughters’ tennis careers.
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