In a bold legal maneuver that underscores the increasingly adversarial nature of his divorce proceedings, Grammy-nominated artist Akon has formally rejected any obligation to provide spousal support to his estranged wife, Tomeka, according to court documents filed on Friday at Los Angeles Superior Court.
The 51-year-old R&B singer and entrepreneur, whose real name is Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam, explicitly checked the box to terminate spousal support for Tomeka, effectively closing the door on financial assistance for his wife of nearly three decades. The declaration marks a significant escalation in what appears to be a financially charged dissolution of their 29-year marriage.
The move comes as a direct counter to Tomeka’s initial divorce petition, filed in September, in which she requested spousal support for herself. However, in what legal observers might characterize as a preemptive financial strike, she simultaneously asked the court to deny any support payments to Akon — a relatively unusual dual request that suggests both parties entered these proceedings with their financial guards raised.
Beyond the financial dispute, the couple now finds themselves at odds over the custody arrangement for their 17-year-old child. Akon’s Friday filing requests joint physical custody, a scenario that would see the teenager splitting time between both parents’ households. Tomeka, however, is seeking a different arrangement: joint legal custody — which would give both parents equal say in major decisions affecting their child — but full physical custody for herself, meaning the child would primarily reside with her.
This custody disagreement adds another layer of complexity to what was already shaping up to be a difficult separation, particularly given the child’s age. At 17, the teenager is approaching adulthood, which could factor into the court’s ultimate decision-making process.
The timing of these divorce proceedings couldn’t be more complicated for the “Smack That” hitmaker, who is simultaneously facing legal issues in another state. Just last week, Akon was arrested in Georgia after failing to appear in court on charges related to driving with a suspended license — a development that could potentially impact his public image and complicate his legal positioning in the California divorce case.
The Georgia arrest highlights the mounting pressures facing the artist, who has spent recent years expanding his business empire beyond music, including his ambitious Akon City project in Senegal and various cryptocurrency ventures.
As the case moves forward through the California court system, both parties will need to navigate not only the emotional toll of ending a marriage that has lasted nearly three decades but also the practical realities of dividing assets accumulated over that period and determining what’s in the best interest of their teenage child.
Legal experts suggest that in California — a community property state — the length of the marriage could be a significant factor in how assets are divided, regardless of spousal support determinations. With 29 years of marriage on the books, the court will likely scrutinize the couple’s complete financial picture, including Akon’s music royalties, business ventures, and any other income streams developed during their union.
Neither Akon’s representatives nor Tomeka’s legal team have issued public statements regarding the proceedings. The case is expected to continue in Los Angeles Superior Court in the coming months, with both parties preparing for what could become a protracted legal battle over finances and custody.
For now, the dissolution of this long-standing marriage serves as a reminder that even unions spanning decades can end with fundamental disagreements over support, custody, and the terms of separation.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
After 29 years of marriage, Akon and his estranged wife Tomeka are headed for a contentious divorce with both parties refusing to pay spousal support to each other.
The key battleground: their 17-year-old child, with Akon seeking joint physical custody while Tomeka wants full physical custody for herself.
Complicating matters, the singer was arrested in Georgia last week for failing to appear in court on a driving charge. What started as the end of a nearly three-decade union is now shaping up to be a protracted legal fight over money and custody, with neither side willing to compromise.
