Lamar Odom faces having to pay his ex Liza Morales about $400,000 in back child support and other related costs for their two children after a New York judge ruled in the “Basketball Wives” star’s favor, TMZ is reporting.
The former couple, who dated on and off for 19 years, share two adult children, Destiny Odom, 23, and 19-year-old Lamar Odom Jr. Their third child, Jayden Odom, passed away in 2006 at six months from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, commonly known as SIDS.
TMZ, citing court documents, says Odom has been ordered to pay a total of $380,549, including $91,220 in outstanding child support fees, $88,117 in missed rent, $161,305 for their children’s college funds, and about $40,000 for Morales’ legal fees and other expenses.
This decision came months after Morales, who had been facing eviction from her Manhattan apartment where she lives with their two adult children, sued the former Lakers player for not abiding by their 2015 settlement agreement. Morales claimed in court that Odom stopped making payments in June 2020, although he was financially responsible for child support, college fees, and other expenses.
Following Morales’ court appearance on June 29, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper issued a default judgment in favor of the 42-year-old after Odom failed to appear.
Immediately after the court’s verdict was made public, many people expressed how absurd the costs were for “adult” children. Several even criticized Morales for not working or paying her rent.
“Them kids grown as hell.”
“This is crazy….the kids old and grown…..let them speak…sis seem like she just ain’t tryna work at all.“
“What child needs $400k??”
“I understand the child support and the college tuition but he has to pay her rent as well she can’t pay rent herself.”
Odom bashed Morales and denied being a deadbeat father in a lengthy Instagram post following his failed court appearance. The 41-year-old claimed he is speaking out publicly because he “have had enough” of the false accusations. He wrote, “Back in the news on some BS!! truliza4u (I’m blocked) I never air out my personal business because it’s personal but I have had enough.”
Odom added that although he and Morales never married, he had financially supported her when she had his children. He also shared that even after he married his ex-wife Khloe Kardashian he was still providing for Morales. “I was never married to my kids mother. I took care of her from the second she became pregnant and even after I was married I still paid her bills. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE for a GROWN ASS WOMAN!! Once my children became adults my duties were done! I told her to GO TO WORK! MOVE into an affordable home, she didn’t listen and that is NOT on ME!”
Odom wrapped up his statement by bringing up his finances while denying making any money from the celebrity boxing match against singer Aaron Carter and owning a CBD company, despite what Morales and her attorney had claimed in court.