Wendy Williams is hitting back at claims that she's "incapacitated."
"Wendy wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being," her lawyer LaShawn Thomas said in a statement to Page Six.
The talk show host's mental state has been thrown into question of late since her bank froze her personal accounts amid claims she's being exploited, something she vehemently denies. Her attorney insisted that Wendy is "fine" and is "of sound mind."
"[She is] disappointed about falsely circulated statements from an industry she has devoted her life to," LaShawn said. "Wendy is grateful for the love and the outpouring of support she has received from her fans, and she can't wait to get back. She thanks everyone who has been patiently awaiting her return and believes that, thanks in large part to the love and support of her son, her family, her new team of doctors and a change of scenery, she is on the mend."
Wendy has been MIA from her eponymous daytime talk show since July 2021. There is no timetable for when, or if, Wendy will return to TV. During her hiatus, Wendy has been employing "holistic health professionals to help her reach optimal health during her treatment of Graves' disease and thyroid concerns."
While she works on her health, her current battle with her bank, Wells Fargo, is weighing heavily on her.
People magazine obtained legal documents, filed on Feb. 4, in which Wendy argued she's been "denied any access, whether online or otherwise, to her financial accounts, assets, and statements" for more than two weeks. She asked a court to overrule the bank, claiming it has "impeded and unlawfully prevented" her access to money she's earned.
In its own filing, the financial institution dug in its heels, claiming, "Wells Fargo has strong reason to believe that [Williams] is the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation." This conclusion was based on "reports of the financial advisor, who has recently witnessed telltale signs of exploitation, including [Williams]'s own expressed apprehensions." In addition, Wells Fargo is relying on reports from "other independent third parties who know [Williams] well and share these concerns."
The docs did not state who is allegedly exploiting Wendy, but the 57-year-old believes the financial institution is basing its opinion solely on the word of her former financial advisor, Lori Schiller, who said Wendy "was of unsound mind."
Wendy argued that Lori was fired because of her "malfeasance in relation to [Williams]'s accounts and Schiller's improper conduct in relation to their professional relationship."
Further, if the court does nothing and the bank refuses to grant Wendy access to her money, she says she "will be in default of several bill payments, including her mortgages, her marital settlement payment, and employee payroll" and will "continue to suffer imminent and irreparable harm."