Braunwyn Windham-Burke claims her ex-husband, Sean Burke, owes her nearly $106,000 in past-due child and spousal support.
In response to Sean’s request to have his support amounts modified, which he filed last month, the 46-year-old Real Housewives of Orange County alum petitioned for civil contempt, claiming Sean, 50, has not been adhering to their agreement.
The U.S. Sun revealed details of Braunwyn’s filing on April 18.
“Despite the clear and unambiguous nature of these Orders, Father has willfully failed to pay to Mother the financial support which she is owed,” Braunwyn wrote, noting that for the time between May 2023 to April 2024, she should have been paid $72,000 in child support and $60,000 in spousal support.
Braunwyn also stated that Sean had been ordered to pay her $10,000 for the costs of her attorneys, for a total of $142,000, but only paid $36,261.15.
“Father is deficient in the amount of $105,738.85 in his court-ordered payments to Mother,” Braunwyn continued, requesting the full amount and all judgment interest and attorney’s fees.
As RHOC fans may recall, Braunwyn and Sean’s divorce was finalized in November 2023, one year after she filed documents to end their marriage.
Months later, Sean asked the court to modify his child support amount of $6,000, which had been ordered in California, since “there has been a significant variance warranting the modification,” and so it would be “in accordance with the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines.”
Braunwyn and Sean both moved to Franklin, Tennessee last year and lived together with Braunwyn’s fiancée, Jennifer Spinner, for several months until Sean moved out on his own.
In addition to being ordered to pay $6,000 per month in child support for their four minor children, including twins Caden and Curren, Koa and Hazel, Sean was forced to pay $5,000 per month in spousal support.
The couple also shares three adult children, including daughters Bella, 23, and Rowan, 21, and son Jacob, 18, the latter two of which have spoken out against Braunwyn in recent months, accusing her of being an “abuser” and a lying narcissist. Rowan even requested a protective order against her mother.
Prior to the finalization of their divorce last year, Sean asked the court to reduce his child support payments to $3,000 because he had a “substantially increased timeshare with the children.”
According to Sean, he was caring for their brood “66 percent” of the time while Braunwyn was with them “34 percent” of the time — the opposite of what it had been before that. He also accused his former spouse of taking too many vacations without the kids.
“Additionally, over the last few months due to Braunwyn’s personal vacations and [what’s] scheduled for November, she has only been in the home 1/3 of the time, instead of 2/3 of the time that child support was based on,” he wrote in his since-denied request.
Around the time of her court filing against Sean, Braunwyn took to her Instagram page, where she accused Sean of leaving her with nothing when they split in 2021.
“I often hear on here ‘get a job’ when I mention how helpful my family has been, but here’s the thing…I needed them. When I left my ex-husband he left me with nothing, and while I’m waiting for the courts to make him do the right (and legal) thing, without them we wouldn’t have made it,” she shared. “I’ve been in school, I’m a recovery and wellness coach, I’m going back to school for my law degree, all these things take time, and I’m so grateful they’ve given me this chance.”
“I was a stay at home mom for 24 years, years looking back I should have used to stay in school and start a career , but I was young and naive and trusted someone that was untrustworthy. I’m excited for this chapter, it’s big and beautiful and if you can’t support me ….dont knock me (or any woman) down!!” she added.
Braunwyn Windham-Burke and her family were featured on seasons 14 and 15 of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
