Wendy Williams Reportedly Needs a Guardianship According to Legal Filing

Wendy Williams‘ bank claims the talk show host is an “incapacitated person” who needs guardianship. Wells Fargo made the surprising claim in response to a filing from Williams’ attorney last week claiming the bank froze her assets based on claims from Williams’ former financial adviser that she was “of unsound mind.” The legal battle is ongoing while questions and speculation about Williams’ health have run rampant while she continues to be missing from The Wendy Williams Show.

In a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Arlene Bluth to ask for a hearing, Wells Fargo attorney David H. Pinkus wrote that Williams, 57, needs a professional to oversee her affairs. “We are concerned about [Williams’] situation,” Pinkus wrote, reports Page Six. “It is our hope that the Guardianship Part [of the court] will imminently appoint a temporary guardian or evaluator to review the situation and ensure that [Williams’] affairs are being properly handled.”

On Friday, Williams’ attorney Celeste N. McCaw filed an emergency petition, accusing Wells Fargo of denying Williams access to her “accounts, assets, and statements” for over two weeks. She claimed the bank’s only justification for this was a statement from Williams’ former financial advisor Lori Schiller. In court documents, McCaw said Schiller was fired due to alleged “malfeasance” when handling Williams’ accounts. Schiller was also accused of “improper conduct in relation to their professional relationship.” However, McCaw admitted that Williams still relies on “Schiller’s advisement.”

Wells Fargo has “strong reason to believe” Williams is the “victim of undue influence and financial exploitation,” Pinkus wrote to Bluth Wednesday. He asked that the case be kept from public view because of the confidential information involved. Pinkus went on to say that Schiller told Wells Fargo she saw “signs of exploitation” and that Williams “expressed apprehensions” herself. “Other independent third parties who know [Williams] well … share these concerns,” Pinkus wrote.

McCaw has already filed a response to Pinkus’ letter, writing that Williams denied being the victim of “undue influence and financial exploitation.” She asked the judge to grant a temporary restraining order against Wells Fargo to keep the bank from continuing to freeze Williams’ accounts and “interfering with her right to access her financial assets and statements.”

Wells Fargo denied the claims. “We deny any allegations of improper actions with respect to Ms. Williams’ accounts and are fully participating in a court process to reach a resolution that is in her best interest,” a Wells Fargo spokesperson told Page Six. “The financial well-being of our clients is at the heart of everything we do.”

Williams hasn’t hosted an episode of her eponymous talk show since the end of the 2020-2021 TV season. Producers delayed the start of the 2021-2022 season as she dealt with a series of health issues, but when it was clear she would not be ready soon, producers decided to enlist guest hosts. Bevy Smith, Terence J, Sheri Shepherd, and Michael Rapaport will host more shows throughout the rest of February. Shepherd will reportedly take over as a “permanent” guest host for the remainder of the season.

As for Williams herself, her condition remains a mystery as she hasn’t spoken out. Sources close to her told The Sun her “spark” is gone. “She’s not always functioning like she used to be. She has days where she needs help eating, getting out of bed, and getting dressed,” another source said, before adding that Williams does not always recognize people who have worked with her for years.