Ryan Lochte and estranged wife face foreclosure as divorce battle heats up
Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte and his separated spouse, Kayla Lochte, are facing a foreclosure lawsuit in the midst of their contentious divorce, Us Weekly has exclusively learned.
A legal complaint was filed against the estranged couple by the Fletcher Park Owner’s Association in a Florida court on November 20.
Ryan and Kayla are the owners of a four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence in Gainesville, Florida, spanning 2,838 square feet and valued at approximately $660,500; they acquired it for $547,700 in January 2021.
According to the legal filing, Ryan and Kayla neglected to pay specific charges linked to the property.
The lawsuit stated, “The Owner failed to remit payments for all types of assessments, interest, late fees, administrative fees, attorney’s fees, and collection expenses owed to [the owner’s association].”
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In July, the association placed a lien on Ryan and Kayla’s residence, seeking $3,686 in overdue payments. Since the lien was not resolved, the association proceeded with the lawsuit. Ryan departed the home following their separation.
(The association highlighted that the property in question had another lien imposed by the Internal Revenue Service. As per the lien, obtained by Us, Ryan and Kayla are accused of owing $99,696 in unpaid taxes, broken down as $48,182 for 2021 and $51,513 for 2022.)
As Us previously reported, Ryan and Kayla had not yet finalized their divorce.
Kayla initiated divorce proceedings on March 26 after seven years of marriage, asserting that the union was “irretrievably broken.”
In her petition, she sought sole custody of their three young children: Caiden, 8, Liv, 6, and Georgia, 2.
In September, Kayla accused Ryan of illicit drug use within their residence. She claimed to discover empty cocaine baggies in various rooms. She further alleged that she once witnessed Ryan using nitrous oxide in front of one of their children in the garage.
“[Ryan’s] consistent and recurrent irresponsible behavior demonstrates his unsuitability for shared parental responsibility, and granting it would be detrimental to the minor children,” Kayla’s lawyer claimed, also accusing Ryan of failing recent drug screenings.
Ryan, who declared himself 54 days sober on September 2, admitted to using drugs in the home but denied doing so around the children when contacted by Us.
He informed Us, “As I admitted earlier this week, following my car accident in 2023, I entered a cycle of depression that resulted in substance abuse.”
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Ryan further stated, “I am not disputing that I consumed drugs in my residence, but I vehemently deny ever using drugs in the presence of or near my children, and I have never driven them while impaired.”
“Everyone makes errors in life. We are not defined by those errors, but by how we learn from them and the effort we invest in overcoming them. I am deeply regretful for causing pain or disappointment to anyone along the way,” Ryan added. “My current focus is on my recovery, on being the best father I can be, and on progressing in a manner that ensures my kids are safe, supported, and cherished.”
As Us first revealed, in separate legal documents, Kayla accused Ryan of bringing his “paramour” around their kids, who she claimed behaved “inappropriately.”
“[Ryan] is undermining [Kayla] as the children’s mother, as he has on multiple occasions brought his romantic partner of only a few months to the minor children’s school for lunch,” Kayla’s lawyer alleged. “The paramour has been observed pursuing [one of their kids] down the school hallway attempting to embrace her, saying ‘come here, I need a hug,’ despite [the child’s] objections.”
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“[Ryan] does nothing to stop his paramour’s unsuitable conduct,” the filing claimed.
Us spoke with Ryan and his new girlfriend, Molly, regarding Kayla’s accusations in September.
Ryan stated, “The assertions in this filing are not only false, they are also misleading, similar to previous motions Kayla has submitted. Molly has known my children for more than two years, and my daughter is best friends with Molly’s daughter. To label her a ‘paramour’ or suggest she is a sudden stranger introduced into their lives is entirely inaccurate.”
He elaborated, “I have been meticulous and deliberate in gradually introducing my children to Molly because she is a secure and trustworthy presence. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply an attempt to twist the truth and harm my public image.”
Molly added, “A bond that brought Ryan and I together was the affection our children share for one another. I have known [Ryan and Kayla’s] kids for years.”
Regarding Kayla’s claims about her conduct at the children’s school, Molly stated she had lunch with Ryan and his children, along with her own daughter. She affirmed she never had lunch with Ryan’s children without him present.
“Regarding any allegations of inappropriate behavior toward his children, I wish to clarify that I have never coerced his children to embrace me or engage with me,” Molly said. “In fact, his daughter once initiated a hug with me and playfully tickled me before running off.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
