Wendy Williams demands Wells Fargo unfreeze assets as bank cites ‘financial exploitation, dementia or undue influence’

WENDY Williams is demanding Wells Fargo unfreeze her accounts as the bank suspects ‘financial exploitation, dementia or undue influence.’ 

Wendy, 57, who has been absent from her eponymous daytime talk show since the end of last season in July of 2021, is asking the court for an emergency order requiring Wells Fargo unfreeze her accounts with them. 

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In the filing, Wendy’s asserts that Wells Fargo is in “possession of several million dollars’ worth of funds,” belonging to the ailing host, and she has been denied access to her funds for more than two-weeks.  

Her attorney alleged that Wendy’s former financial advisor advised the bank that Wendy “was of unsound mind,” and that Wells Fargo has denied her access to her bank accounts and statements.

Wells Fargo has justified its decision to keep Wendy’s accounts frozen by referencing it’s authority under various client agreements to “‘pause or reject instructions for a proposed transaction,’ pending judicial or administrative remedies, should they suspect financial exploitation, dementia, or undue influence,” the petition claimed.  

The host’s legal team claims the bank has overreached in its authority, in part because Wendy has not proposed any transaction which should give the bank the discretion to pause or reject access to the accounts.  

Her attorney is seeking court orders by allowing her “access to her financial accounts, assets, and statements,” while her dispute with Wells Fargo is resolved in arbitration.

The petition alleged that Wells Fargo is in breach of their fiduciary duty and that the host is suffering “imminent and irreparable financial damage.” 

The host’s team is demanding the bank give access to Wendy and “her agents, members, officers, employees, representatives and anyone else acting on Respondent’s behalf” within 48 hours. 

WHAT’S WRONG WITH WENDY? 

As The Sun previously reported, the daytime presenter has been battling a health crisis for some time.  

Sources said the once witty, sharp host of The Wendy Williams Show isn’t the same as she used to be as she battles multiple medical problems. 

A source close to the show told The Sun: “The spark is gone. That Wendy, who for ten years had that spark in her eyes, that cheeky grin and that little wink is not the same now.”  

The insider added some days are better than others for the once feisty daytime diva.   

“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. 

“Sometimes she goes out in a robe and without shoes on– the old Wendy would never have allowed herself to be seen out like that.”  

Even more heartbreaking, the source added, she doesn’t always recognize people whom she’s known for years.   

“There are people who Wendy knows- who have worked closely with her- and there are days that she has no idea who they are.”  

A second source close to Wendy’s family told The Sun that fans shouldn’t expect a video address from the host, at least for now.  

“She really can’t do a video. She’s been having a hard time holding a conversation.”  

That insider alleged that while things appear to have gotten worse in recent months, she was struggling with her recollection while she was on the show too.  

“She was forgetting things on the show a lot- information on stories, celebrities’ names. 

“That’s why she would lean on producers, to help feed her information.”   

The 57-year-old host has been absent from her eponymous program since the start of the season in September, with fans left guessing what’s wrong with her, why she hasn’t addressed them, and if she’ll even return to the show.   

WENDY HOSPITALIZED 

The Sun was first to report that Wendy had been transported to a New York hospital in September of 2021 following a 911 call for a person in need of psychiatric services.      

Soon after, the daytime talk show host quietly hired a crisis public relations manager.  

Meanwhile, The Wendy Williams Show would release four statements between September 9 and October 12, blaming her absence from her show and any promotional duties on a breakthrough COVID case, “ongoing medical issues,” and symptoms from Graves’ disease.    

On November 8, the show’s Instagram released a statement from the 57-year-old host saying she was still coping with health issues, and as a “woman of a certain age” she knew to listen to her doctors and that “right now, Wendy has to focus on Wendy.”      

It was the only statement that purportedly came from Wendy since the start of the season.       

TROUBLING INCIDENT 

The Sun exclusively reported earlier last week that at the start of the pandemic lockdown in 2020, the host allegedly struggled with her addiction issues which spiraled into a dark and troubling incident in May of that year.     

Just before the host’s team claimed she was hospitalized for Graves’ disease that month, Wendy experienced a disturbing episode with a handful of people present as she was working from home.      

According to sources, Wendy’s manager was summoned to her penthouse apartment after she had appeared unwell during a Zoom show taping earlier in the week.      

Her manager and a small group of confidants arrived to the host’s home to lend support to the struggling talk show queen.      

According to multiple sources, Wendy had stripped naked in her room and was shouting vulgar comments.     

The host was eventually taken to the hospital, where she would remain for weeks.      

Reps for Wendy and The Wendy Williams Show did not respond to The Sun’s multiple requests for comment.    

WILL SHE EVER RETURN?   

In 13 seasons, this is the longest the host has been off the air, and she has yet to address fans in any real way since the show went on summer break on July 12, 2021.      

As Wendy fans continue to hope that she will return to host the remainder of the season, The Wendy Williams Show announced that the roster of fill-in guest hosts will continue through the end of January.     

Meanwhile, there has been no announcement on the possibility of the show being renewed for another season.        

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). 

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