Shaquille O’Neal learned the lesson of a lifetime after his wife, Shaunie, found out about his infidelity. She accidentally grabbed his phone that morning and to be honest...we’re glad she did. She noticed her BlackBerry kept buzzing and it didn't take long for her to realize she had accidentally grabbed Shaq's phone instead of her own. She discovered text messages from multiple women that said things like "Baby, last night what you did..."
Shaunie wasn't tolerating his infidelity. She filed for divorce in 2007, but before doing so, she decided to go batsh*t-crazy. She grabbed a knife, busted his windows, slashed all four of his tires, and carved “I cheat on my wife, I ain’t sh*t!” onto the hood of his car. Really, it’s the kind of humiliating revenge that the people wanted! They were officially divorced by 2009. Take that, Shaq!
Lisa Lopes, who was better known as “Left Eye Lopes,” made a name for herself as an American hip-hop artist. She was the most famous member of the R&B girl group TLC, which became popular during the 1990s. Although she had many troubles of her own, she went down in infamy after setting her boyfriend's mansion on fire in 1994.
As if this scandal wasn’t dramatic enough, her boyfriend was Andre Rison—the Atlanta Falcon star. He came home late after a night of clubbing and she freaked out. Lopes claims that she only meant to torch his pricey sneakers, but couldn’t control the flames and accidentally burned down his entire house. She pleaded guilty to arson and was sentenced to five years of probation and a $10,000 fine. Unfortunately, their wedding was called off and TLC filed for bankruptcy. And in 2002, Lopes was killed in a car crash. She was only 30 years old.
Divorces are complicated. Dominique Penn can vouch because she had her fair share of arguments and altercations with her ex-husband, Donald Penn. The Oakland Raiders football star didn’t make life easy for Dominique. In 2016, she filed for divorce for the first time after discovering that Donald had allegedly impregnated Camilla Poindexter during their marriage. Camilla, who appeared on the reality TV show Bad Girls Club, reportedly knew Donald was a married man but slept with him anyway.
Dominque attempted to “forgive and forget” this scandal and stayed with Donald (probably because they do have three children together). But in 2018, the couple made headlines again after a domestic violence incident. Dominique filed for divorce for the second time and went through with it.
I think it’s safe to say that Sherra Wright is the most infamous WAGS to date. In 2010, family, friends, and fans were shocked to learn that NBA player Lorenzen Wright was murdered at just 34 years old. He was missing for less than one week before his body was found in Tennessee. He had been shot multiple times and his death was ruled as a homicide. With no leads, the Memphis Police Department named Lorenzen Wright's death the most high-profile unsolved case.
Then, in 2017, the murder weapon was found in a lake in Mississippi. The cold case was cracked and Lorenzen's ex-wife, Sherra, was arrested in California. She pleaded guilty to facilitating an account of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Although most WAGS scandals aren’t life or death, this one clearly was.
Chances are you’ve heard of Tiger Woods. Even if you don’t watch golf, you’ve most likely heard of his many scandals. He’s a notorious cheater and womanizer. And although he’s kept his name out of the tabloids over the last several years, it’s almost impossible to forget what happened on Thanksgiving in 2009…Tiger's wife at the time, Elin Nordegren, learned that he had been unfaithful to her (which is the understatement of the century). She stole his cell phone and found text messages between he and a woman named Rachel Uchitel. One of the texts read, "You are the only one I've loved." Elin posed as Tiger, sent a text to Rachel and then called her to prove he was having an affair.
After attempting to lie to Elin about about his infidelities, Tiger finally confessed to cheating on her with more than 120 women during their marriage. So, what did she do? She chased him out of their home with a golf club. He hurried into his Escalade, frantically drove off, and then crashed into a pole. He ended up unconscious and at the hospital. Luckily, he was okay...but his marriage wasn't.
Tina Eaton, the wife of NFL defensive tackle Chad Eaton, was arrested in 2006 after a domestic dispute. Rumors emerged that Chad had been unfaithful and although she was only 120 pounds and he weighed more than 300 pounds, she managed to bloody his face. Unfortunately, she also managed to get herself thrown into the slammer...
Tina was arrested in response to a domestic-violence complaint. Although the case was dismissed, Chad and Tina's quarrel still made headlines. They were in the midst of a messy divorce and all eyes were on the NFL player. He spent five seasons with the New England Patriots, three with the Seattle Seahawks, and one with the Dallas Cowboys and had an immensive following.
Kris Benson, former MLB starting pitcher, filed for divorce from Anna Benson in 2012. The couple met in 1998, just after Anna had been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old man named Michael Evans. Michael was found dead in Anna's Knoxville apartment and it's alleged that Anna told her then-boyfriend Paul Dejongh to "get rid of him." Although the murder charges against her were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence, this should've been a red flag...
Anna was involved in another scandal in 2013, but this run-in with the law involved her ex-husband Kris. She must’ve become accustomed to the lavish lifestyle that Kris’s salary allowed because one year after their separation, she showed up at his home. She arrived unannounced and wearing a bulletproof vest. She pointed a handgun at him and demanded $30,000. Nothing screams scandal like a mugshot!
Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s wife, gained lots of notoriety after dating and marrying the Los Angeles Lakers' star. She was devoted to Kobe and married him in 2000. She was only 18 years old and still in high school. Despite their happy start, they've undergone some serious scandals. Vanessa stood by Kobe's side as he was accussed of sexually assaulting an employee at a Colorado hotel in 2003. The charges against Kobe were dropped, but this accusation still had a huge impact on their family.
And in 2009, the Bryant’s ex-housekeeper decided to sue the couple. There were claims made that Vanessa verbally abused and humiliated her while she worked, forcing her to perform undignified and demeaning tasks (like digging through dog poop to find receipts). Not only did this look bad for Vanessa, but it also made many people question Kobe as well. TMZ reported that the ex-housekeeper walked away with a $200,000 settlement. Just as one scandal subsides, another emerges.
Headlines were made in 2006 when NHL player Wayne Gretzky’s wife, Janet Jones, was implicated for her involvement with a sports gambling ring. This ring allowed the actress and others to place pricey bets on professional and college level basketball and football games. Janet was implicated, along with NHL players and coaching staff.
The illegal scandal, which became better known as “Operation Slapshot,” was quickly, but not quietly, shut down. Janet was accused of betting, but wasn't ever charged. If anything, Operation Slapshot exposed the prominence and addictiveness of illegal gambling. Gretzky denied involvement and attempted to win back his place in the hearts of hockey fans. He continued coaching for the Phoenix Coyotes and let the police deal with the gambling ring allegations.
Dwyane Wade, who is now a retired NBA player (and is currently happily married to Gabrielle Union), was married to Siohvaughn Funches from 2002 to 2010. After their divorce, Dwyane was given primary custody of their children and Siohvaughn wasn’t having it. In 2012, she attempted to abduct their two sons and then resisted arrest. The charges were eventually dropped but this became a scandal for the ages.
Dr. Siohvaughn L. Funches now focuses on positivity. She is a public speaker, counselor, and published author. This past summer, she launched "Faith Comes by Hearing," an inspiration podcast. We're glad to hear that she's no longer posing for mugshots. Looks like she's taken her own advice and is fulfilling her rightful purpose!
Miko Grimes, wife of Brent Grimes, felt the need to repeatedly share her opinions of the NFL. The issue though was that her tweets were about her own husband’s team and teammates. In 2015, she criticized the Miami Dolphins via Twitter in order to help her husband engineer his exit from the team. The Dolphins were forcing Brent to take a pay cut and wouldn't release him from his contract. Miko's tweets worked, but it wasn't the most tasteful way to end Brent's career with Miami.
Miko's Twitter scandals frequently caused problems for Brent, it’s hard not to love her. He went on to sign a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but made arguably less than he should've (quite possibly due to his wife's social media habits). Relationships are about give and take, right?
If you’re an NBA fan, you probably remember Tony Parker. He played for the San Antonio Spurs. He was a well-respected player on the court...until some of his dirty laundry was aired. Eva Longoria, his wife at the time, discovered his adultery. She found inappropriate text messages between he and another woman on his phone. In just one month, they had exchanged hundreds of messages, all without Eva knowing.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, the woman Parker was having an affair with was his teammate Brent Barry’s wife. Not only did his own marriage end in divorce, but Barry’s did as well. And their friendship was severed. Tony's infidelity caused a lot of heartbreak and a lot of sadness. Way to go, Parker!
According to Sherrie Daly’s book, Teed Off: My Life as a Player’s Wife on the PGA Tour, life isn’t easy for WAGS. And clearly...it wasn’t easy for Sherrie. In 2007, news surfaced that she tried to stab her husband, John Daly, with a kitchen knife. Just days after the altercation, he showed up to play golf on a course near his home and had visible scratches and red marks on his cheeks.
John put out a statement saying he was a "victim of assault." They were married in 2001 and divorced by the end of 2007. Unfortunately for Sherrie, this incident was just one of her several run-ins with the law. She has also been arrested for money laundering, harassment, delinquency of a minor, and parole violation. It’s understandable as to why she is now his ex-wife. Yikes!
Terricka Cromartie’s loyalty to her husband, Antonio Cromartie, is admirable. After he was cut from the Indianapolis Colts in 2016, she wanted his fans to know the truth. She took to Instagram and posted that it was Antonio’s decision to kneel during the national anthem that cost him his job; not his performance. Although she was only trying to defend him, the post turned into a major scandal.
The couple married in 2008 and now have six children together. It's obvious Terricka was only trying to help her husband, but her post was counterproductive. The popular TV star quickly made her account private to prevent further backlash.
Evelyn Lozada, former fiancé of Antoine Walker, starred in the reality series Basketball Wives, allowing their relationship to be viewed by the public. The couple dated for more than 10 years, but were engaged for less than one. The engagement was called off when Antoine had to file for bankruptcy. The millions of dollars he made during his time with the NBA were blown and it’s believed that a hefty amount of that money was spent by/on Evelyn—though she continues to deny it.
They began dating in 1998 and were engaged in 2007. And it's no surprise they split after the disappearance of his $110 million. Evelyn continues to claim it was Walker's unfaithfulness that tore them apart, but it's hard to believe his bankruptcy didn't have anything to do with it...
Tawny Kitaen had already made a name for herself before marrying MLB pitcher Chuck Finley in 1997. While her acting career put her in the spotlight, it was her spousal abuse that put her behind bars. The couple allegedly had an argument one evening in 2002, but details of why were never released. Tawny was arrested after police witnessed the damage she’d done to Finley—she'd kicked him multiple times with her high-heels, and he had scrapes and cuts all along his arms and legs.
All we know is that she attacked him as they were driving home from dinner. She had kicked him in the thigh, leg, and arm. A third party called the police after they arrived back at their Newport Beach home. Tawny was charged with battery and spousal abuse, but was released from jail after only hours of being behind bars and left in a sleek limousine. The couple divorced later that same year.
Laura Govan and Gilbert Arenas are another couple that didn’t last. And public scrutiny didn’t make their divorce, custody battle, or child support court case any easier. Laura took to social media and made false allegations about her ex-husband’s character. She claimed that he was a deadbeat dad who never bought his children Christmas presents or paid for child support.
In reality though, Arenas was depositing more than $20,000 each month into Laura’s account to pay for his children’s needs. Doesn't sound like a deadbeat dad to me...
Although many scandalous moments of WAGS are for the greater good, some are not...Craig Hodges’s estranged wife, Carlita, was charged with aggravated battery in 1991 after dousing him in gasoline and throwing two lit matches at him. Though she claims she only did it to “get his attention,” police found this to be an ill excuse.
The Chicago Bulls player couldn't believe she would do this, especially in such a public location. She tried to set him aflame while he was waiting to pick up their children from school. Carlita was charged with aggravated battery and taken to jail for a brief amount of time. Luckily, he wasn't injured. She's since opened up about her emotionally abusive relationship with Craig and her secret affair with R. Kelly, an R&B and hip-hop singer.
Bruce Bennett/Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Le’Veon Bell clearly couldn’t manage having two girlfriends at once because in June of 2019, these women stole more than $500,000 worth of jewelry and cash from his Florida home. They left the New York Jets player wondering how he could’ve been so trusting. And although their names haven't been released, Bell once tagged them as his "girlfriends" in an Instagram Story (before the incident, obviously).
Bell was allegedly at home and in bed with the two women before leaving them to go to the gym. When he got home and realized the women had robbed him, he called 911. He revealed to police that two gold link chains with diamonds, a gold chain with a black and white diamond pendant, a rose gold rolex presidential watch, and a rose gold and white gold link bracelet were missing...in addition to $15,000 worth of cash. Hopefully he's learned his lesson.
Although Kiara Mia’s stint as a WAG was extremely short, she did spend a romantic evening with 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018. It was scandalous because Kiara was an adult film star and all eyes were on Garoppolo for commentary. Garoppolo didn’t say much, except that the entire fiasco was a “learning experience”—whatever that means.
Shortly after rumors emerged about their affair, Kiara announced that it was definitely a date and that she was not paid to sleep with Garoppolo. But in all seriousness, she did tell the press he's good in bed and gave him the nickname "energizer bunny." Make of that what you will!
Brenda Warner is another wife who decided to publicly defend her pro-athlete husband. Kurt Warner was involved in an incident with St. Louis Rams coach, Mike Martz, that infuriated Brenda. Warner, who was the team’s quarterback at the time, was injured during a football game. Martz wanted Warner to keep playing rather than going to the doctor. She was appalled that Martz was more concerned with the football rankings rather than the wellbeing of his players.
Brenda set the public straight when she called into a radio interview and told listeners that she was the one who encouraged Kurt to get an X-ray of his hand, not his coach. She exposed Martz and publically humiliated him.
Although this couple is still together, there were moments when this relationship seemed doomed. It was nothing short of scandalous when Autumn Ajirotutu's husband, Seyi Ajirotutu, allegedly cheated on her. There were rumors and speculations that the San Diego Chargers player had an affair with an “unidentified” woman, but Autumn continued to brag on her man.
The situation was made more challenging due to Autumn's involvement with E!'s reality TV show WAGS, but the star never failed to defend her husband. The couple wed in 2012 and are parents to twin girls. Regardless of whether or not Seyi's infidelity is true, Autumn took Tammy Wynette's advice to "Stand By Your Man."
Some of the most outrageous WAGS moments are documented because they deeply embarrassed their sportsman husbands and boyfriends. This is exactly what happened to Antonio Gates (on more than one occasion) when his wife, Sasha Gates, starred on the hit series WAGS. Sasha accused Barbie Blank, Sheldon Souray’s ex-wife, of stealing a rolex. It caused a riff in their friendship and garnered lots of media attention.
Reality TV really can make any small argument seem like a major scandal.
Barbie Blank, also known as WWE fighter “Kelly Kelly,” was married to Sheldon Souray in 2016. All was well between the two until Souray retired from his career with the NHL. Although the couple implied that their separation allowed them to take time for themselves, the timing of their divorce was odd. Many fans speculate Barbie Blank was unhappy that Souray’s sports career was over.
In 2018, a statement was released by Sheldon that praised the NHL's Players' Association's substance-abuse program. His addiction to painkillers was made public and many began to wonder if this was the underlying problem in his and Barbie Blank's marriage. Regardless, Souray got the help he needed and Blank appears hopeful as she moves forward with her life.
Unfortunately, trashy reality TV reveals the good, the bad, and the ugly...and it definitely got ugly when Larry English’s then-girlfriend, Nicole Williams, took a trip to Thailand with her castmates. The NFL star went off the grid for 24 hours so that he could show up in Thailand and surprise Nicole with an engagement ring—except it wasn’t very romantic because Nicole freaked out and started snooping.
Although English did end up proposing, Nicole’s lack of trust made him think twice about getting down on one knee.
Exes love to start drama. Jenna Jameson, the ex-wife of Tito Ortiz, apparently does too because she slammed Amber Nichole Miller, Tito’s current girlfriend, on Twitter in 2016. Jenna saw a picture of Amber carrying a purse that was reportedly “hers” at one point in time and couldn’t help but go viral.
Luckily, Amber wasn’t afraid to respond to her petty tweets and put her in her place. Miller feels totally secure in her relationship with Ortiz. Even though they aren't married, they are very happy. They work together to raise his three children from previous relationships and do their best to exemplify what love should look like.
In June of 2015, Stephen Curry’s wife, Ayesha Curry, took to Twitter in the heat of the moment. Although she’s typically beloved by fans, Ayesha’s controversial posts caused quite the response. She made the comment that the 2015 NBA Finals were “rigged.”
Her thread of tweets were only online for 15 minutes, but they made headlines. Since then, she has gone on to post other notorious tweets. Steph has “joked” about having their wifi disconnected—honestly though, we wouldn’t blame him.
Relationships aren’t always easy. Sadly, Khloe Kardashian learned this the hard way. Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson cheated on Khloe while she was pregnant with his baby. For the sake of her daughter, she stayed with him. But this ended up being a huge mistake.
Thompson went on to cheat again—this time with Kylie Jenner’s best friend Jordan Woods. Khloe kicked him to the curb. The scandal went viral and was all anyone could talk about for weeks! He's recently been trying to win her back by flirting with her on Instagram, but she knows how much damage he's done to her and is unsure if she could ever fully trust him again.
Doug and Jackie Christie understand the struggles that accompany fame and fortune. That being said, Doug, former NBA player, still freaked out on his wife after she “accidentally” posted a topless selfie on Instagram. Christie later admitted that Doug almost left her because he was so upset. Regardless of whether or not this really was an accident, the story still seems slightly sketchy.
Regardless of Jackie's sultry snapshot, the couple still seems to care deeply for one another. Doug is retired from the NBA, but they're still involved with sports. Jackie has continued filming Basketball Stars and their son, Douglas Christie Jr., commentates for basketball games and has committed to play two years of college ball.
While estranged from her husband, Kim Mattingly was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Her now ex-husband, former Yankee baseman Don Mattingly, found her outside of his home acting drunk and irritable. She verbally harassed him and refused to leave, which was when he decided enough was enough. Don called the police and had Kim booked.
It's uncommon for women to be arrested for domestic disturbances, but Kim's lack of respect, inability to follow directions, and extreme inebriation didn't help her. Shortly after this incident, the couple filed for divorce and Don filed for a protective order, instructing Kim to desist from abusing or harrassing him.
