Tomeka Thiam, wife of 29 years to singer Akon, filed for divorce in September, citing irreconcilable differences. In court filings, she requested $110 million in spousal support and joint legal custody of their daughter, Journey.
According to reports, Tomeka was reportedly shocked to discover that Akon’s bank accounts show just $10,000 in remaining funds.
Despite the couple’s long marriage, Akon has faced public scrutiny over his personal life and financial ventures. He previously spoke about his relationship with Tomeka, telling Us Weekly, “You trust the person you’re with, you make sure you back them in whatever situation. Everyone’s gonna have a flaw. So it’s like, pick your best poison, right? Who are you willing to be with and deal with all that comes with them for the rest of your life?”
Akon has also faced financial difficulties related to his ambitious project, Akon City, a $6 billion “smart city” planned in Senegal inspired by Black Panther. The development was intended to include skyscrapers, nightclubs, recording studios, a university, and a 5,000-bed hospital. The city’s planned currency, Akoin, collapsed to $0.003 in August 2024, and the project has seen minimal progress despite 90% of the land being gifted to Akon by the Senegalese government. Only a partial Welcome Center has been built, and unpaid workers and contractors have raised concerns.
Earlier in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Akon admitted to the BBC that the project “wasn’t being managed properly” and took responsibility for the delays. In August 2024, Senegal’s national tourism and coastal development agency issued an ultimatum for Akon to either complete the city or return the land.
Akon, 52, remains best known as a recording artist with hits like “Smack That,” “I Wanna Love You,” “Lonely,” and “Locked Up,” which dominated the Billboard charts.
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