What is Stephen Belafonte's Net Worth?
Stephen Belafonte is an American producer and director with a net worth of $1 million. Born in Hollywood, California, in May 1975, Stephen graduated from Loyola Marymount University. Despite the common misconception, Stephen is not related to singer Harry Belafonte.
Stephen gained significant attention for his marriage to singer, actress, and television personality Melanie Brown, best known as Mel B. The couple married in June 2007 and divorced in 2017. They share one daughter, Madison.
Career
Stephen has had a notable career in film and television. He worked as an associate producer for the films "Never Die Alone" (2004) and "Thank You for Smoking" (2005). He produced the documentary "Prison Ball" (2004) and co-produced "The Crow: Wicked Prayer" (2005). His work extended to executive producing the film "Sisters" (2006) and the TV series "I Pity the Fool" (2006) and "Singing Office" (2008). Additionally, he produced "Mutant Chronicles" (2008) and "Bad Lieutenant" (2009) and served as an executive producer for two episodes of "Mel B: It's a Scary World" in 2010.
Stephen also directed and produced the video documentary "Straight from the Projects: Rappers That Live the Lyrics – 3rd Ward, New Orleans" (2004) and made appearances on "Dancing with the Stars" and "The X Factor."
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Divorce and Financial Issues
In 2017, Mel B filed for divorce from Stephen, alleging a decade of physical abuse. Despite these claims, no police reports were filed during their relationship. Mel B obtained a restraining order, citing Stephen's jealousy over her relationship with fellow X-Factor Australia judge, Usher. She also claimed he was abusive and demanding toward her producers and agents.
In 2017, a judge ordered Mel B to pay Stephen $40,000 per month in spousal support. This legal battle revealed that Mel B had exhausted much of her $30 million fortune, with reports indicating she had less than $1,300 in her main checking account while earning around $240,000 per month as a judge on America's Got Talent. The couple co-owned a $6.5 million mansion, burdened with a $3 million mortgage.
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In July 2018, Mel B's legal filings showed she paid Stephen $422,000 in spousal support that year. After all expenses, Mel's 2017 net income was negative $3.2 million. She spent $1.7 million on legal and accounting fees, held $100,000 in credit card debt, and owed $800,000 in taxes.
In December 2022, Stephen requested a hearing to address Mel B’s drinking and other concerning behaviors. He asked the court to allow their daughter to have a phone to contact him if she felt unsafe and to prohibit Mel B from being under the influence while with their daughter. Additionally, Stephen requested that Mel B refrain from exposing herself naked in front of their daughter, claiming inappropriate behavior.
Conversely, Mel B alleged in a separate filing that their daughter frequently stayed with caretakers while Stephen engaged in various activities, including attending recording sessions and gatherings, without informing her of their daughter's whereabouts or caretakers' identities. This situation left Mel B concerned about their daughter's safety and well-being.
