Lakeisha Graham is an American businesswoman best known as the ex-wife of Richard Williams, a famous tennis coach. She is also famous as the mother of Serena Williams and Venus Williams. Lakeisha married Richard when she was just 32. Richard was 69 at the time which means they had an age gap of 37 years. She rose to fame after marrying Richard but her fame skyrocketed during their divorce.
Lakeisha has been involved in several controversies like forging King Richard’s signature, mortgaging his house, conflict with her stepdaughter, Serena Williams, and more. This article is to address the things you didn’t know about the former wife of Richard Graham.
Lakeisha Graham’s Age and Early Life
Lakeisha Graham was born Lakeisha Juanita Graham in 1979 in Broward, Florida, USA. Her age is currently 43 years old, as of 2022. Lakeisha, who is of Afro-American ethnicity, grew up with her parents in the United States. Likewise, she is believed to have completed her high school studies and may have also completed higher studies.
She Owns a Grocery Store
Lakeisha Graham is an American businesswoman. She owns a small grocery store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Likewise, she has also started a couple of other businesses. But, most of them seem to have failed, including a truck business that she started with a loan of $279,000.
Lakeisha Graham Mortgaged a House For Her Truck Business
Lakeisha Graham took a loan of $279,000 from a hard lender called David Simon after remortgaging Richard William’s property. She started a truck business with that loan, however, the truck business failed and she blew all her money. The loan led Williams to lose his 4-bed mansion maternal home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. According to The Sun, Lakeisha owed Simon $513,213.67.
Lakeisha Graham is Richard Williams’ Ex-Wife
Lakeisha Graham was married to Richard Williams for seven years. Her ex-husband is famous for being the father of two greatest female tennis players, Serena Williams and Venus Williams.
Lakeisha, who is 37 years younger than Richard, married the tennis coach in 2010. At the time of their marriage, Lakeisha was just 32, whereas Richard was 69. After two years of marriage, the couple welcomed a son, Dylan Starr Williams, in August 2012.
Lakeisha is just a year older than her stepdaughter, Venus Williams. Venus is Richard’s daughter from his second wife Oracene Price who was previously married to now-late Yusef Rasheed. Prince and Rasheed had one more child, daughter Isha Prince together.
Lakeisha Graham and Richard Williams Had a Messy Divorce
Just after several years of marriage, the relationship between Lakeisha and Richard fell apart. In 2017, Richard filed for a divorce accusing his wife of being an alcoholic and stealing money. In the following month, Lakeisha filed explosive new court docs in her divorce claiming he’s been acting “erratic and hostile” and she’s afraid. Moreover, the grocery store owner claimed that she had to remove an “arsenal of firearms including an AK-47” from their home in fear he could harm her or their 5-year-old kid. She additionally claimed that Richard was never involved in raising their son Dylan.
Lakeisha was the third and the last wife of Richard Williams. He was previously married to Betty Johnson (1965-1973) and Oracene Price (1980 -2002). His daughters Serena and Venus Williams are from Oracene. Serena Williams is the one whom Drake’s mom Sandi Graham once wanted for her loving son.
Lakeisha Forged Richard Williams’ Signature
King Richard sued his ex-wife, Lakeisha Williams, for forging his signature to transfer their West Palm Beach property into her name. According to the tennis coach, she signed the place away to her for just ten bucks.
Serena’s former stepmother also admitted to imitating his writing. However, in court documents, she said that he asked her to do everything for him due to ill health, and the deeds and mortgage were all notarized and witnessed at a loan company.
Lakeisha Graham Accused Serena Williams of Locking Her Out
Amid the messy divorce between Lakeisha and Richard, the grocery store owner claimed that Richard’s daughter Serena Williams threatened her to lock out of her home. In the court documents from 2017, Lakeisha accused her of threatening her to vacate the property.
However, the athlete has yet to answer those claims. The accusation led the six-time US Open champ’s stepmother to a bitter fight with King Richard. Moreover, Lakeisha accused Richard of driving through poor neighborhoods to look at women.
She said,
He likes to take me like Downtown Los Angeles. He always liked to take me to neighborhoods where, you know, there was Black women, because he likes women. Yes, so to speak.
Lakeisha Graham and Richard Williams Got Back Together?
After years of their split and fights over the Palm Beach home, Lakeisha Graham has asked a judge to halt her divorce from the legendary tennis coach. The couple seems to have spent a passionate night on January 9, 2022. Then, the following night, Lakeisha this motion. She insisted on them enjoying a “sizzling sex life” despite Richard, who had suffered several strokes over the past six years.
Additionally, Lakeisha also said in the court papers that she does not believe her marriage is totally hopeless. Likewise, their son, Dylan who is now nine, also seemed to be raised by them together. She said that she later once got back together with Richard. They reconciled in August 2019 and since then, they have been living a happy life.
But, her claim of their active sex life is still in doubt. The legendary coach is barely able to talk after he suffered two strokes. Moreover, his son has the power of attorney over his father.
Lakeisha Graham’s Net Worth
Lakeisha Graham has not officially confirmed what her net worth is. However, online sources have estimated the net worth of the estranged wife of Richard Williams to be $2 million. Richard, meanwhile, has a total net worth of $10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Just for comparison, Serena and Venus Williams have a net worth of $250 million and $95 million, as of 2022.
Richard Williams Sued Lakeisha for $1M
Just after a couple of months of Lakeisha claiming their “sizzling sex life”, Richard slapped her with a $1 million suit. He sued her for their marital property in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Lakeisha had forged Williams’ signature and transferred it to her name.
The legendary coach sued for the money that she gained from the sale and attorney costs. But, the 43-year-old says that Richard gave her the house as part of his child support obligations to their son Dylan.
Richard had bought that house for $355,000 with Oracene Price but after the divorce, he kept the house for himself. However, due to his declining health, Richard was living in a new home. Serena bought the house for $815,000 in 2015. The house features four bedrooms and five bathrooms.
