Porsha Williams and her newly deported ex-husband, Simon Guobadia, are offering up conflicting accounts of what really went down in their whirlwind marriage and messy divorce. Simon, 61, claims the Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 44, only tied the knot with him for his money. But according to Porsha, love—not luxury—was the driving force behind her saying “I do” back in 2022. Now, the exes are airing out their sides of the story as their split continues to make headlines.
During an interview with Page Six published June 25, Guobadia revealedthat he “absolutely” regretted jumping the broom with Porsha, looking back on their 14-month marriage. He believes the Bravolebrity “targeted” him for “financial reasons,” putting financial gain over genuine love. Guobadia–whowas deported back to his home country of Nigeria in February after months in ICE custody—said he felt like something was off when Porsha filed for divorce in 2024, citing irreconcilable differences.
“I kept asking, ‘Why did you file for a divorce?’ And she wouldn’t say anything,” Guobadia claimed. “This felt like a coup. … I was totally blindsided.”
The Simcol Petroleum business owner added that in hindsight, he believes Porsha was out to get his money. The Nigerian businessman has a net worth of $40 million, which includes his fuel company, real estate investments, film projects, and various entrepreneurial ventures, according to Afro Tech.
“I think I was targeted. I was targeted from day one for financial reasons,” the 61-year-old told Page Six. “When I filed for divorce from my previous ex-wife [‘RHOA’ cast member Falynn Guobadia, Williams] was in my DM praying for me. I think I was in a vulnerable position at that time, and I entertained it. So it just kind of snowballed from there.”
Source: Prince Williams/WireImage / Prince Williams/Wireimage
He added:
“Getting engaged in 30 days … who does that? I was out of my goddamn mind to have done that. Of course, I’m paying dearly for it.”
He also confirmed to PageSix that Porsha was victorious in their contentious divorce and was awarded $40K a month in alimony as noted in their prenup, although he beleives the decision will be appealed.
“She’ll receive $40,000 a month in alimony for the length of the marriage, which was 14 months,” Simon told PageSix of the $560,000 total.
“She gets to stay in the [marital] house [in Atlanta] — all expenses paid, including the mortgage — for up to 36 months. And if she chooses to own the home, she would have to refinance the the property in her name and give me 50% equity in the home.”
He continued,
“I’ve had prenups in previous relationships, and I’ve honored those prenups without reservation. This time around, I’ve chosen to challenge in court — all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.”
Porsha Williams Says She Really Loved Simon, Didn’t Target Him For His Money
Williams says while it may seem like she was with the African businessman for his money, love was truly at the core of their short marriage. She told PEOPLE in an exclusive Waiting To Exhale cover story publishedJune 23 that people immediately thought their marriage was fake when she filed for divorce, which was a huge “misconception,” the housewife explained.
“They thought I was just in it for the money, and none of our love was really real.”
On Instagram, the duo looked like the ultimate jet-setting power couple flying around the world on private jets, posting loved-up captions, and serving fairy-tale vibes for their millions of followers. They even celebrated their love with two extravagant weddings in November 2022: first, a traditional Nigerian ceremony honoring Simon’s roots, followed by a glamorous American affair in Atlanta.
But just as quickly as their romance heated up—especially as they geared up to share their lives on reality TV—it all came crashing down.
While she was “excited about bringing Porsha Guobadia and Simon Guobadia from Instagram to Real Housewives,” the reality TV star said she’s taking the time to slowly pick up the pieces of herself that she lost in the marriage.
“It is what it is. I’m not going to hold onto something and try to make a relationship work just so I could put it onto the show. That’s not real,” she continued to PEOPLE. “We really loved each other. And it’s sad. The hardest part is that we are in this place and that we are not friends and we don’t speak. And I don’t know if we’ll ever hold space again together. I really hate that.”
Still, Porsha admits that the rumors do get under her skin sometimes. She made it clear that she didn’t marry Simon for his money—highlighting that she was financially secure long before he ever entered the picture. The star has her own premium hair collection called Go Naked Hair and her luxury sheet company Pampered by Porsha among other business ventures that were established before wedding.
“The people who thought I just got with him because he had money, maybe those people are new to Housewives or don’t have Google or haven’t looked up anything I’ve ever done, because I’ve always been a businesswoman,” Porsha stressed to PEOPLE. “I was a businesswoman before I married my first husband. I just let it all go to be a wife. But then, after we divorced, I started all over again. Built my businesses again. So it really wasn’t necessary that the man I get with be rich.”
She added:
“Now, was it great that Simon took me and put me on that jet? Yes, honey! Was our lifestyle beautiful? You bet it was. It was great. Just being able to get up and not have to go and do this job out of the state here and there? But that’s not the reason I was with Simon. I make my own coins.”
What do you think of Simon and Porsha’s marital fallout? Tell us in the comments section.
