Serena and Venus Williams’ childhood Florida home where they mastered their tennis skills, soon could belong to the highest bidder at auction.
The West Palm Gardens, Florida, residence was purchased in 1995 for a reported $355,000 by the sport phenoms’ parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price. The family moved from Compton and into the home that sits on 10 acres of land as the two sisters began training for their professional athletic careers as teenagers.
The property’s present-day valuation is $1.4 million. The home has been at the center of a lengthy court battle between Richard and his estranged wife, Lakeisha Williams, since he filed for divorce in 2017. The then-69-year-old tennis coach married his 32-year-old third wife in 2010. They share a young son named Dylan, 11.
The “King Richard” inspiration accused Lakeisha of forging his signature on transfer deeds, making her the sole owner of the four-bedroom home, as well as stealing his Social Security checks and assuming ownership of his vehicles.
She allegedly admitted to falsifying documents to secure a $600,000 loan for the home, alleging that Richard left her and their son to fend for themselves when they separated. In the midst of their seven-year divorce battle, she failed to make the monthly $10,000 mortgage payments.
Her debts also include payments owed to lenders for her failed trucking and fast food business ventures totaling $279,000.
In April, a judge dismissed her third attempt at filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, leaving the home to face imminent foreclosure. That following month, a separate judge dismissed the senior citizen’s petition for divorce at his request. Lakeisha still has the option to file Chapter 13 again to forestall the foreclosure.
Lakeisha claims that they live together as husband and wife in the $800,000 home that Serena purchased for her father in 2015. It is reportedly located near the rotting family residence, which is now littered with abandoned cars, household items, and remnants of what once were cared0for tennis courts.
“I still don’t understand how this heifer still all the daddy stuff and Serena, Venus, Aisha and Lyndrea didn’t handle that Compton style,” read a tweet reacting to Richard and Lakeisha’s marital drama.
I still don’t understand how this heifer still ALLLLLL the daddy stuff and Serena, Venus, Aisha and Lyndrea didn’t handle that Compton style.
— The Rev. Dr. Auntie Michelle (@iamn0tthe1) April 15, 2024
Judge to decide if Serena Williams’ ex-stripper stepmom will lose family home of 29 years after blowing $… https://t.co/tNdPCYDHZo
“Richard Dove Williams and his wife Lakeisha Williams have a son and are raising him together. They are a family. Lakeisha works and Richard often takes care of their son,” said Lakeisha’s attorney to The U.S. Sun. “Lakeshia and Richard Williams have a romantic and sexual relationship. With their son they are a family. They live together. They go on family trips to Disney together.”
Richard has suffered from multiple strokes and was diagnosed with dementia. His son Chavoita LeSane believes Lakeisha has been taking advantage of the elderly man and using Dylan as a “pawn” to acquire money from his father.
