Maralee Nichols took the next step in her court battle against Tristan Thompson, requesting a hefty amount of monthly child support for their 3-month-old son, Theo.
The fitness model, 31, filed the papers in Los Angeles on March 4. “With regard to child support, using Tristan’s income of $9.7 million alone and Maralee’s income of $0, Maralee at this time requests guideline monthly child support of $47,424,” court documents seen by Us Weekly read. She also asked that the NBA star, 30, be ordered to pay her attorney fees, which exceed $1 million.
The filing estimated Thompson’s monthly income to be at least $810,075. Nichols, for her part, claimed that her expenses are $22,263 per month, adding, “Theo and I are living at a far depressed standard of living than Tristan.”
The former personal trainer alleged that before she gave birth, she spent more than $2,000 per month dining out and “expects these expenses will resume once Theo gets older and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.” She also claimed that she spends $3,500 per month on clothes, explaining, “I have made a tremendous effort to reduce my spending. Previously, my average month’s expenses for clothing were in excess of $5,000 a month.”
Nichols went on to claim that she is living in an apartment with a roommate, while Thompson allegedly has not paid her any money yet and has a “lavish celebrity lifestyle.”
The Texas native then called out Jordan Craig, who shares 5-year-old son Prince with the Chicago Bulls player. She alleged in the papers that the model, 30, “is reportedly receiving at least $40,000 a month in child support from Tristan [and] leads a similarly high lifestyle, including living in a $3 million mansion in Los Angeles, driving multiple luxury vehicles, taking extravagant vacations and dressing her son in designer clothes at a young age.”
News broke in December 2021 that Nichols sued Thompson for child support. Us exclusively revealed that she gave birth to Theo earlier that month. The athlete confirmed in January that he is the child’s father.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” he wrote via his Instagram Story at the time. “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.”
Thompson also expressed his remorse to ex-girlfriend Khloé Kardashian, with whom he shares 3-year-old daughter True. “Khloé, you don’t deserve this,” he added. “You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years.”
Us confirmed in June 2021 that the off-on couple called it quits. The reality star, 37, revealed earlier this week that the paternity drama will be covered on her family’s upcoming Hulu show. “I wish I never had to talk about that because it’s not a fun thing to talk about,” she told Variety. “But it is part of my journey in life so we will see it on the show.”
Us has reached out to Thompson for comment. Nichols is not commenting on, confirming or denying anything pertaining to pleadings and documents in the paternity file.
