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Gossip Girl's Kelly Rutherford On the Brink of Bankruptcy Due to Costly Custody Battle
Author: Joel R. Glucksman
Date: May 17, 2013
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Actress Kelly Rutherford, known well for her role on the TV show Gossip Girl, announced that she is exploring bankruptcy protection as a financial option to overcome piles of legal bills and related expenses associated with a costly custody battle.
The 44-year-old thespian entered into a highly public and contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, German businessman Daniel Giersch. While the couple was initially awarded joint custody of their kids, Giersch had his U.S. visa revoked due to undisclosed reasons, and a court awarded him sole custody of their 6 and 3-year-old children. They currently live with their father in Monaco, and Rutherford claims that she has spent nearly every penny she has earned traveling to visit them and fighting in court to get them back to the U.S.
“I’ve been traveling 40 times to either facilitate contact with their dad or visit them or bring them back and forth, and paid for everything,” she said in an interview with E! News.
Rutherford also noted that she is currently residing with a friend because she cannot afford an apartment.
“Every penny from Gossip Girl, my pension, my stocks has been spent fighting for my children,” Rutherford said, during the interview. “This fight has brought me to the brink of bankruptcy.”
Currently, Rutherford is still working with legal professionals in an attempt to both avoid bankruptcy law proceedings and regain custody. A court is expected to decide if Giersh can apply for a new visa and re-enter the U.S. in 2014, but until that occurs, Rutherford noted that she will continue working with attorneys, despite her bankruptcy risk.
Rutherford is one of the many celebrities to file for bankruptcy in recent months, but most others who have sought protection have done so due to unpaid taxes and debt. Most recently, former supermodel Janice Dickinson sought protection and listed debts relating to unpaid medical bills for cosmetic procedures.
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