Stephen Belafonte is reportedly struggling for cash after estranged wife Mel B has moved to block him from accessing their joint accounts.
According to Britain's The Sun newspaper, former Spice Girls star Mel has stopped Stephen from withdrawing anything from any of their accounts, amid her allegations that he controlled her £40 million fortune during their marriage.
He is even said to have contacted his ex-girlfriend Nicole Contreras, who he was previously convicted of assaulting, to "moan about" his current financial situation.
"This has hit Stephen hard," a source told The Sun. "Mel has finally pulled the rug out from underneath him and that seems to have left him a bit lost.
"He’s even been back in touch with Nicole moaning about it - insisting it has left him struggling to get by. He has had instant access to a fortune for such a long time that he doesn’t seem to know what to do."
Mel filed for divorce late last month (Mar17), asking the judge overseeing the divorce to deny Stephen any spousal support.
However, in his official response to Mel's petition, Stephen asked his former spouse to pay his divorce lawyer's fees, while also requesting spousal support and joint legal and physical custody of the couple's daughter.
Mel was granted a restraining order against her ex following her claims that she became the victim of Stephen's jealous temper several times and the abuse led to the couple's split last year (16).
His lawyers have contested the claims though, calling them "outrageous and unfounded".
"It's a shame that Ms. Brown elected not to proceed in a respectful and amicable fashion in this very private matter," they told TMZ.com, adding, "When the degree to which Ms. Brown has gone to create a false depiction of her marriage to Mr. Belafonte is uncovered, real victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse will be understandably offended, angry and upset."
