Akon’s wife of 29 years Tomeka Thiam filed for divorce in September, citing irreconcilable differences. Tomeka demanded $110 million USD spousal support with joint legal custody of their daughter Journey.
After reviewing his financial documents, Tomeka was reportedly shocked to learn Akon has only $10,000 left in his bank accounts!
Akon and Tomeka were couples goals, despite the fact that he kept a harem of women.
When asked about the key to their successful marriage, Akon exclusively told Us Weekly that “people kind of overestimate the secret.”
“The specific ingredient is really super simple,” Akon said. “You know, 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?”
Until now, there had been few reports of Akon’s financial troubles. There was some talk of alleged financial difficulties after Akon City was abandoned earlier this year.
The planned $6 billion “smart city” in Senegal was inspired by the movie Black Panther. Akon City would feature soaring futuristic skyscrapers, nightclubs, recording studios, a university, and a 5,000-bed hospital.
The main currency in Akon City was Akon’s own cryptocurrency. But the Akoin’s crypto price tumbled to $0.003 in August 2024.
Well-to-do Americans who invested hard-earned money to make Akon City a reality did not see a return on their investment. Years of delays doomed the project.
In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, Akon told the BBC, “It wasn’t being managed properly. I take full responsibility for that.”
As of February 2024, the project has barely broken ground in Senegal. Despite 90% of the land being gifted to him by the government, only one building, the Welcome Center, is partially completed.
In August 2024, Sapco-Senegal, the Senegalese national tourism and coastal development entity, issued an ultimatum to Akon: either finish the project or return the land to the government.
Akon, 52, reportedly failed to make several payments to Sapco-Senegal. Architects and construction workers have not been paid.
Akon is best known as a recording artist whose hit songs “Smack That”, “I Wanna Love You”, “Lonely” and “Locked Up” dominated the Billboard charts.
