Porsha Williams, known for her role on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” is facing a lawsuit from her estranged husband, Simon Guobadia. He alleges that she defamed him by suggesting in her social media posts that he suffers from erectile dysfunction.
The lawsuit was submitted on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Guobadia is seeking a jury to grant him a minimum of $75,000 in both compensatory and punitive damages. Simon’s lawyer said, “[Porsha’s] statements, presented as factual, have caused significant harm to [Simon’s] personal and professional reputation, subjected him to public ridicule, and inflicted severe emotional distress.”
The lawsuit read, “Mr. Guobadia’s relationship with the Defendant became contentious when the Defendant suddenly started making negative, false and misleading statements about him on social media, using her outsized platform to negatively influence public perception of him.”
Simon claims that Porsha shared a series of statements on her Instagram on July 9 related to erectile dysfunction.
“These posts were intentionally crafted to imply that [Simon] suffers from this condition, casting him in a negative and humiliating light,” the suit read.
His lawyer said, “These [posts] were accompanied by the hashtag #MensHealthAwareness, which appeared to give the posts a tone of health awareness, though the timing and context made it clear they were directed at Simon.”
“The nature, timing, and context of these posts, amidst the couple’s public separation, led reasonable viewers to infer that Defendant’s statements were referring to Plaintiff – because they were,” his lawyer continued.
Simon stated that the statements were reported by various media outlets.
His lawyer argued, “[Porsha’s] postings were presented in a factual manner, implying a specific medical diagnosis of ED regarding [Simon], and were clearly intended to cast [Simon] in a negative and humiliating light.” The attorney continued, “As a former spouse, [Porsha’s] statements were perceived by the public as having legitimacy and insider knowledge regarding [Simon’s] health, enhancing the likelihood that the public would believe these statements were true.”
The suit read, “[Porsha’s] statements were false; [Simon] does not have ED and has never suffered from or been diagnosed with this condition.” Simon accused Porsha of making the false statements knowingly or with reckless disregard for their truth. His lawyer said, “[Porsha’s] actions were extreme, outrageous, and intended to provoke and inflict emotional distress upon [Simon].” Simon said he has suffered emotional distress and personal anguish due to the statements made by Porsha.
His suit said, “[Porsha’s] allegations not only targeted [Simon’s] physical and emotional integrity but also struck at the core of his reputation as a capable and respected entrepreneur and philanthropist. By making these claims in a public forum, [Porsha] ensured their immediate and widespread dissemination, amplifying the harm to Plaintiff’s credibility and social esteem. The direct and disparaging nature of these statements leaves no doubt that they constitute defamation per se, as their content is inherently damaging and injurious to [Simon’s] personal and professional reputation.”
