Maralee Nichols, 31, is speaking out about Tristan Thompson and the lack of relationship he’s had with their two-month-old son Angelou. The fitness model is claiming that although the basketball star admitted that he’s the father of the newborn in Jan., he hasn’t even met him yet and hasn’t offered financial support.
“Despite news reports stating otherwise, Tristan Thompson has done nothing to support their son. He has not made any attempt to meet their son nor has he provided any financial assistance,” a rep for Maralee told us in a statement.
HollywoodLife reached out to Tristan’s rep for comment but have yet to receive a response.
Maralee’s statement comes after Tristan initially denied her claims that he impregnated her over the weekend of his 30th birthday in Mar, when he was still romantically involved with Khloe Kardashian. They became involved in a paternity suit and the Indiana Pacers star allegedly threated her to drop the lawsuit in exchange for $75,000.
“You know how I feel. My feelings haven’t changed at all. Wont be involved at all. Btw if you think having this baby is gonna make you some money. It’s completely wrong,” a text allegedly sent to Maralee from Tristan read.
He apparently went on to claim he was retiring from the NBA after this season and therefore she wouldn’t get more money. “You are aware that I’m retiring after this season,” it continued to read. “So in terms of support it will be whatever is required monthly for someone who’s unemployed. It’s texas so it will be only a couple hundred dollars. So you better off taking this 75k I’m offering cause you won’t get nothing near that with having a kid with a father who’s unemployed.”
After a DNA test confirmed Tristan is the father of Maralee’s baby, he took to social media to announce it and apologize to Khloe. He also said he looked forward to “amicably raise” their son. “I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established, I look forward to amicably raising our son. I sincerely apologize to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately,” part of his message read.
In Jan., a lawyer EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife that based on Tristan’s reported income of $10 million a year, and the fact that he has two other children, including his son Prince, 5, whom he shares with Jordan Craig, and his daughter True, 3, whom he shares with Khloe, who he split from in June, he could be ordered to pay Maralee $34,000-$40,000 per month for their son.
“Because Tristan is paying support for other children, that will be a factor in calculating how much support he will pay for this child,” Morghan Leia Richardson, Esq., the Matrimonial Partner with Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP in New York City said. “Reports show that his income is about $10mil so based on that number, and the report that he’s paying $40k per month for his son, when I run the calculator, I get an estimate of $34k per month.”