Celebrity Divorce

Janet Jackson's split from husband #3 may have significant financial implications.

Both Janet and Wissam Al Mana are wealthy, but he far more than she. He has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. She's worth an estimated $175 mil.

Janet, who had a prenup with husband #2 Rene Elizondo, almost certainly had a prenup with Al Mana. Such prenups are typically structured -- so the longer the marriage, the bigger the settlement.

Prenups typically have 5 and 10 year marks, which trigger more money in the pot to be divided. Janet announced in February, 2013 that she had gotten married a year earlier. Given the date of her reported separation from Al Mana, it seems to be almost exactly at the 5 year mark of marriage.

The couple just had a baby in January, which may also have prenup implications.

Mel B's longtime makeup artist says he's been in on Mel B's secret for years ... because she's confided in him that Stephen Belafonte caused many of her injuries he covered up with makeup.

We've learned the makeup artist has contacted Mel B's lawyers and offered to write a sworn declaration detailing what he's seen and heard over many years.

He says he frequently had to cover up Mel B's facial and body bruises. He says she would confide in him but lie to others on set about the injuries. And, he says, Belafonte knew Mel B talked to the makeup artist, and he says he was threatened numerous times.

The makeup artist says Belafonte would withhold money from him unless he followed orders ... don't say a word about the injuries.

The makeup artist also says he heard Belafonte being "aggressive and verbally abusive" to Mel B and the children, sometimes calling his wife "disgusting and ugly."

He also says Belafonte was extremely controlling, ordering security to keep tabs on Mel B "beyond a level of safety."

Belafonte has denied any physical abuse.

Stephen Belafonte says Mel B blindsided him with allegations of sex tape extortion and out-and-out stealing precious Spice Girls memories ... this according to docs he just filed in their divorce war.

Stephen is strongly insinuating it is Mel B, not him, who is waging a smear campaign. Belafonte says in docs filed Friday, he was on the verge of settling the financial and custody issues, and even agreed to voluntarily stay away from Mel, but then she surprised him with a series of very public allegations in a surprise request for a restraining order, alleging domestic violence and extortion.

As for Mel's claims that Stephen threatened to expose her sex tapes, his lawyers say, "[Mel B] herself put her sexual trysts and the like at issue by alleging that [Belafonte] allegedly videotaped and/or recorded such conduct and forced her to have sexual relations, etc." He also says she's the one who disclosed in her legal docs some of the tapes involved 3-ways.

Belafonte's lawyers also grouse Mel was the primary breadwinner and forced him out of their family home with only one hour to gather his personal belongings, as Mel B watched "the entire charade in an SUV parked outside the residence."

We just got additional documents in the latest Mel B saga, and she claims the nanny Stephen Belafonte got pregnant is still working with him by holding sex tapes over the singer's head for extortion.

TMZ broke the story, Mel B's lawyers Larry Bakman and Susan Wiesner were in court Friday claiming Stephen has been threatening to release the tapes as a means of maintaining control over her ... repeatedly threatening to destroy her reputation and smear her name by making the tapes public.

According to the new docs, Belafonte "would regularly hold up his phone to me and point to a video file and say, 'It's just one click away,' meaning that with one click he could send out a video and my career would be over."

Mel B says she's lived in fear for a decade and it was flat-out extortion.

Now the twist ... Mel B says, "He [Stephen] has admitted to me that our former nanny, Lorraine Gilles, maintains possession and control over the media such that I could never have anyone locate the tapes so as to obtain and destroy the same."

As we reported, Mel B believes some of the tapes, along with 12-15 boxes of her Spice Girls memorabilia as well as photos of her dad, are in a storage locker with the user name, "Lorraine Gilles." But according to the docs, she is deeply involved ... Mel B says the locker is "controlled" by Gilles. She says, "I believe that Lorraine Gilles and [Belafonte] are acting in concert to deprive me of my personal belongings by either destroying or disseminating said belongings."

Mel B says she and her people have repeatedly asked Gilles for the keys and location of the storage facility, but Gilles -- who has since married -- has blown her off.

Mel B's lawyers just got a judge to reinforce a court that Stephen Belafonte is prohibited from distributing sex tapes, photographs or other sexually explicit material of the former Spice Girl.

Lawyers for both sides were in court Friday morning dealing with the sex tapes. Sources connected to Mel B tell TMZ, Belafonte repeatedly threatened multiple times to release sex tapes of her, just before she went to court to get a restraining order against him.

Now this is even crazier. One of the issues raised Friday was that Mel B's lawyers say after Mel B filed for divorce last month and left the family house, Belafonte took 12 to 15 boxes from the garage containing all of the photos of her recently deceased father, along with all of her Spice Girls memorabilia and put it in a storage locker somewhere in L.A.

We're told Mel B and her lawyers Larry Bakman and Susan Wiesner have repeatedly asked him to return the photos but he didn't respond. They also asked him to tell them the location of the locker, but again, no response.

Now get this. Mel B found out Stephen has been paying for the storage locker with her money since 2009. She contacted her accountant and found a recent bill for the facility and it identifies the user name on the locker ... LORRAINE GILLES!!! That's the former nanny whom Mel B alleges had an affair with Belafonte while they were married. She also says he got her pregnant but convinced her to have an abortion.

Mel B's lawyers asked the judge to force Belafonte to give them the address of the Public Storage in question and the required passwords for entry, but the judge has not ruled on the request.

Mel B has made a major change to her divorce petition ... she does not want to share joint custody with Stephen Belafonte for 2 reasons ... a domestic violence conviction, and a gun.

TMZ broke the story ... when Mel B filed for divorce last month she said she wanted joint legal and physical custody. Sources connected with Mel tell TMZ at the time she had no idea Stephen had a conviction for domestic violence involving another baby mama. She also didn't know the conviction prohibited him to possess a gun.

As we reported, Mel knew he had a gun and was not happy about it, especially since she alleges he repeatedly committed domestic violence against her. But we're told after recently finding out the gun was illegal to possess, she decided to change her custody strategy.

We're told Mel, who just got a temporary restraining order which prohibits Belafonte from having any contact with her 3 children, will go back to court and make the restraining order permanent.

Our sources also say in the divorce case, she does not want Stephen to have any contact with 2 of her kids, one of whom is 10-year-old Angel, whose dad is Eddie Murphy, and 18-year-old Phoenix -- a child from another marriage.

We're told Mel might ultimately be ok with giving Belafonte monitored visits with their child, 5-year-old Madison, but not now.

Belafonte has asked for joint legal and physical custody of Madison.

Stephen Belafonte has just filed his official response to Mel B's divorce petition, and he made it clear ... he's not going away empty-handed.

For starters ... Belafonte is asking for spousal support, though it's premature to set a figure. In her petition she asked the judge to deny Belafonte support. He wants her to pay his lawyer's fees.

They dispute the separation date. Belafonte says it was March 1, 2017. She says it was December 28, 2016. It matters when it comes to dividing up the property.

And speaking of property, both acknowledge there is community property on the line, which suggests there was not a prenup.

Stephen's asking for joint legal custody of the one child they have together. Now, it's interesting ... when Mel filed for divorce she also asked for joint custody, but earlier this week, in her restraining order docs ... she asked for sole legal and physcial custody.

It's unclear if Mel wants sole custody just in the short term or if she had a change of heart.

Stephen Belafonte tormented Mel B's family, saying they'd be cut off from her again ... according to Melanie's sister, who's now dancing on Stephen's metaphorical grave.

Danielle Brown says "8 years of abusive calls me and my mum have had stating we would never see Melanie again. I am laughing and celebrating as you were wrong. You are a sorry excuse of a man."

She also told Lorraine Giles -- the nanny Mel says Belafonte got pregnant -- to "rot in hell."

And perhaps best of all, Danielle quoted Beyonce in a parting shot at her sister's estranged husband -- "To the left to the left everything you own in the box to the left."

#Sisterhood

Stephen Belafonte has broken his silence, telling TMZ ... Mel B's domestic violence allegations are "outrageous and unfounded."

Belafonte's lawyers tell us, "It's a shame that Ms. Brown elected not to proceed in a respectful and amicable fashion in this very private matter. In due course, Mr. Belafonte will be filing his response to the outrageous and unfounded allegations made by Ms. Brown, which allegations he vehemently denies."

The statement goes on, "When the Court determines the truth, it will become clear that this entire charade was nothing more than a smear campaign intended to cover up Ms. Brown's own conduct during the marriage in light of her current involvement with a family television show, and in an effort to unfairly gain leverage both financially and with respect to custody of the children."

The lawyers go on ... "When the degree to which Ms. Brown has gone to create a false depiction of her marriage to Mr. Belafonte is uncovered, real victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse will be understandably offended, angry and upset."

Mel B beelined it for her attorney Wednesday, possibly with new evidence in her nasty divorce from Stephen Belafonte.

She seemed determined heading into the office building after making a quick stop at her Bev Hills home ... where assistants removed a computer for her. Stephen's been banned from the house by the restraining order ... so it's unclear why she'd take the computer.

It is clear Mel will be spending a lot of time with her lawyers in the months ahead.

David Schwimmer and his wife, Zoe Buckman, have split after almost 7 years of marriage.

The couple made the announcement, saying, "It is with great love, respect and friendship that we have decided to take some time apart while we determine the future of our relationship."

They add ... "Our priority is, of course, our daughter's happiness and well being during this challenging time, and so we ask for your support and respect for our privacy as we continue to raise her together and navigate this new chapter for our family."

Schwimmer and Buckman have been together for more than 10 years, and got hitched in June 2010. They have 1 daughter together ... this is also their first go at marriage each.

Stephen Belafonte had a favorite place to take Mel B for 3-ways ... the Playboy Mansion, sources connected with Mel B tell TMZ.

Our sources say Belafonte would "hound and cajole" Mel B to go to the Mansion, which she generally didn't want to do. We're told he would badger her for hours until she was worn down and finally agreed to go.

Once there, our sources say Belafonte would encourage her to drink -- she has struggled with alcohol abuse -- and when she got drunk he would then zero in on Playboy Bunnies for 3-ways.

Mel B convinced close friends and family members not to tell police she was being beaten by Stephen Belafonte because she was afraid he would think she was behind it and kill her.

Multiple sources close to Mel B tell us ... a close circle of friends and family didn't believe her when she explained away various injuries, and when they confronted her, she had trouble hiding what she now says is the truth ... that she was being viciously attacked by Belafonte.

We're told some of the people who confronted her said they were going to call the cops and report him, but she became emotional and begged them to stand down, and not just because she was in fear for her life. She believed anyone who blew the whistle on Belafonte would become his target as well.

As we reported, people who were on various TV shows with Mel B were aware of a slew of injuries she suffered and they also saw Belafonte on the set and witnessed what some called his abusive and threatening behavior. Yet, as far as we can tell -- and this is consistent with her declaration -- no one from any show ever called the cops to report alleged domestic violence.

Mel B clearly wants to move on with her life, because the very same day estranged husband Stephen Belafonte was kicked out of the family house that has been up for sale for only 2 weeks, she lowered the price by a million bucks.

The Hollywood Hills home was put on the market March 22 for $8.995 mil. On Monday, just after a judge ordered Stephen to leave, the asking price went down to $7.995 mil.

Our sources say Mel B might not even live there while the house is up for sale, because it has a lot of bad memories.

Hunter and Kathleen Biden's push to keep their divorce battle out of the public eye has been shot down by the judge ... TMZ has learned.

According to docs obtained by TMZ, Joe Biden's son and daughter-in-law claim they and their kids are public figures, and if details of their divorce get out ... it could be "damaging and embarrassing" to the family. Hence the request to seal the case.

The court called B.S., saying if the estranged couple wanted to keep it on the DL, they shouldn't have included the sordid allegations in the initial divorce petition, which was filed publicly. The judge says in docs, "Sealing those documents now will not erase any embarrassment the parties or their children may have already experienced."

You'll recall ... each accused the other of cheating, and she said Hunter blew all their money.

Mel B has detailed horrific abuse she allegedly suffered over a period of years at the hands of her estranged husband, Stephen Belafonte.