Getting messy. Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Kroy Biermann split just a few weeks ago, but their divorce battle is already getting complicated.
“These types of cases, the spouses just wanna inflict maximum pain on the other and get custody of the kids, right?” lawyer Neama Rahmani exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, May 24. “And sometimes there’s money involved as well.”
The attorney, who does not work with the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum, 45, or her estranged husband, 37, added that observers should take the duo’s allegations against each other “with a grain of salt” as the divorce proceedings continue.
“These are two people that are going after each other,” said Rahmani, who works with Scheana Shay and Bre Tiesi. “That being said, when I was a prosecutor, my best sources of information usually were former spouses. They know where the bodies are buried, they have all the dirt.”
The “Tardy for the Party” singer and the former NFL player both filed for divorce on May 8 after 11 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split. The estranged couple share four children: sons Kroy “KJ” Jr., 11, and Kash, 10, and twins Kaia and Kane, 9. Biermann also adopted his estranged wife’s two daughters from previous relationships: Brielle, 26, and Ariana, 21.
Since their separation was made public, the former Bravo personality and Biermann have been engaged in a legal back-and-forth. Last week, Zolciak-Biermann filed a motion to have her ex drug-tested, claiming that his alleged marijuana usage gave her “serious concerns for the safety and well-being” of their minor children.
Days later, Biermann requested that his estranged wife undergo a psychological evaluation, alleging that she is “unable to properly care for the children.” In court documents obtained by Us, the former Atlanta Falcons player claimed that Zolciak-Biermann has a gambling “compulsion” that led to their split.
“This is the type of thing that a court will really need to dig into,” Rahmani told Us of the pair’s respective filings against each other. “A judge is going to say, ‘Hey, is there evidence supporting these allegations?’ Or, if they’re unfounded, ‘I’m not going to do anything.’”
The attorney went on to note that only a judge can order a drug test or a psychological evaluation, “despite whatever demands are being made” by the two parties.
Rahmani added that the twosome could end up in a family court hearing over their allegations, given that the deeds in question could potentially affect the kids. “If you’re spending money that really belongs to the kids, or you’re using drugs around the kids, the kids may be affected,” the lawyer explained. “So, social workers [would] come, they interview the kids, and then they’ll have to testify — both the social workers and the kids — potentially at a hearing.”
Earlier this month, an insider exclusively told Us that Zolciak-Biermann and the former linebacker had “financial issues” that led to the end of their relationship. “The financial burdens have been a strain on their relationship,” the source explained. “Between the tax debt and other financial stresses, it’s been difficult. The tax debt was the straw that broke the camel’s back in their marriage.”
Shortly before the couple’s divorce made headlines, TMZ reported that they owe more than $1.1 million in unpaid taxes. In February, Us confirmed that their five-bedroom home in Georgia is in foreclosure.
Neither the Dancing With the Stars alum nor Biermann have publicly commented on the divorce, but the former athlete hinted at the tension with a recent update to his Instagram bio. Earlier this month, he added a sentence reading, “My ring Meant a Thing.”
Before the edit, the short bio read: “Husband. Father to six perfect munchkins. Athlete. You can Google Me & see I wasn’t Tardy for that Party.”
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With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
