Mel B, whose real name is Melanie Janine Brown shocked a lot of people with the news that her husband of ten years has been abusing her to the point that she had to get a restraining order against him. She has also filed for divorce from Stephen Belafonte. There is an extensive list of allegations about Belafonte, who is not related to Harry Belafonte. The claims fall into the categories of physical abuse, Sexual Extortion, and impregnation their nanny.
Restraining order
Mel B filed a restraining order on Monday, April 3 to protect her and her children, including the couple's 5-year-old daughter.
The 41-year-old "America's Got Talent" judge alleged that her husband, also 41, has physically abused her since they got married in 2007, but she covered it up all these years. She claimed that Belafonte forced her to engage in sexual acts with him and other women. He made tapes without her knowledge and threatened to sell them to ruin her career.
Divorce papers
Mel B. and her husband separated in December 2016, but she just filed for divorce in March 2017. According to the television personality, the abuse started the same year they got married. He beat her on the night of "Dancing with the Stars" finale during the season when the singer had been a contestant with partner Maks Chmerkovskiy.
In July 2012, Mel B claims she was going to tape an "X Factor" segment with Usher.
Belafonte went into a rage when he found out. He punched her in the face and split her lip. A month later that same year, he punched her after she performed at the Closing Ceremony of the London Olympics. She was photographed while wearing a bandage on her face. She claimed she fell when running in her 7-inch heels.
Not the first time
According to the Mel B's profile, this is not the first husband who had abused her. She married Dutch dancer Jimmy Gulzar in September 1998. She filed for divorce from him two years later. The singer won custody of their one-year-old daughter and ended up giving him a settlement of $2.8 million.
