Tyrese Gibson has been ordered to pay over $10,000 a month in child support.
The judgment was announced Tuesday during a hearing in Fulton County, Georgia. Tyrese is currently in divorce proceedings with his estranged wife Samantha Lee Gibson, with whom he shares a 3-year-old daughter named Soraya Lee. As seen in video published by TMZ, the hearing became tense after Samantha’s lawyer claimed Tyrese made $2 million in 2018 and asked how that squares with his claim to have been experiencing financial hardships.
“Sir, I’m asking you, because I don’t do the CFO thing,” Tyrese fired back at the attorney at the one-minute mark below. He added “here’s a question to you, smart person” before being cut off by Judge Kevin M. Farmer, who scolded the Fast and Furious star for his behavior.
“No. Hey, that’s enough. … If you do it again, I’m gonna hold you in contempt. You don’t ask any questions!” the judge is seen saying in a raised voice. “That’s not how this works!”
According to the outlet, Tyrese must pay Samantha $10,690 per month in child support and will split the costs of childcare and school. He’s also required to maintain his health insurance policy. Tyrese also reportedly pays $10,690 a month in child support to his ex-wife Norma Mitchel; the two share 15-year-old daughter Shayla, who lives in California.
“This is not a punishment for you,” Judge Farmer told Tyrese. “Put that money where it belongs, in the child. … I want you both to love your kid, and I want you both to tell your kid to love the other parent, because that’s how we get successful human beings. Nobody won here and nobody lost. The kid lost, because she doesn’t have her parents together. Minimize the effects of that loss. Minimize it in every way, shape and form you can.”
TMZ reports the child support payments were also backdated to 2020, when Samantha filed for divorce. The judge reduced the lump sum from $209,000 to $169,000 because Tyrese has been making Samantha’s car payments for two years. He also declared Tyrese and Samantha legally single and denied spousal support for each party.
