Teddi Mellencamp Accused of Racial Discrimination Amidst Health Struggles

When it rains it pours, at least for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp. Days after revealing she was undergoing brain surgery to remove tumors before beginning radiation, she’s been hit with serious allegations of racial discrimination.

Page Six reports that a woman, an El Salvador immigrant Julia Umana, filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles the day after she underwent emergency brain surgery to have tumors removed. In her filing, the woman says she previously worked as a live-in nanny and housekeeper for the reality star, who allegedly treated her more poorly than any other celebrity boss. Umana alleges Mellencamp abused her power, created a hostile work environment and even shortchanged her on her pay.

She says Mellencamp treated other employees, who were white, better than her, alleging Mellencamp spoke to her in a negative tone of voice. She claims Mellencamp accused her of stealing from her despite the home having video cameras everywhere. 

Mellencamp also allegedly mocked her for speaking Spanish. After telling Mellencamp she was resigning, she says Mellencamp forced her to to work three, 12-hour shifts for which she was allegedly paid $325. She says Mellencamp fired her after she complained about the pay. The former employee is seeking more than $2 million in damages, citing loss of wages.

Mellencamp is currently recovering. She announced in an Instagram post that after spending time in a hospital dealing with migraines, doctors discovered brain tumors of various sizes that needed to be removed immediately. She previously battled skin cancer. 

She also opened up about her skin cancer diagnosis in an episode of The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, revealing that she had a “ginormous patch” on the back of her shoulder since she was born and then started getting marks on her back resembling sun spots. “I didn’t take it seriously, plus I didn’t know that skin cancer was a big deal,” she said. “Pretty much throughout the next three years, I think I’ve had over 20 surgeries,” she added.