After accusing ex-wife Samantha Gibson of moving their 7-year-old daughter more than 2,500 miles away, Tyrese is now seeking primary custody, according to US Weekly.
In October, the 46-year-old actor and singer filed court documents requesting that the court intervene after Samantha relocated from Georgia, where Tyrese resides, to Oregon with their daughter, Soraya. The couple wed in 2017 before calling it quits in 2020 and have spent the past few years in and out of court regarding several issues.
Samantha Gibson was awarded primary custody of Soraya in 2023 and told Tyrese via an alleged letter that she wished to move with their child west.
In the letter dated August 13, Samantha wrote, “I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer, fasting, and careful consideration, and after much wrestling with the decision, I truly believe God is leading me to move out of state to the West Coast — specifically … Oregon. This isn’t a decision I take lightly, and my intention is to be as transparent and collaborative as possible. My lease is up in September, and I’m planning for a late October move.”
Samantha allegedly added in the letter, “I want to be very clear that I have no desire to interfere with Soraya’s relationship with her father. In fact, I want to propose a plan that I believe gives Tyrese more uninterrupted, quality time with her than in recent years, while also respecting her education and stability during the school year.”
Tyrese suggests that the idea of relocation came at an awkward time and went against a previous child support agreement the two had, as the move would have occurred less than a month after the new agreement was finalized.
“No, Samantha. No way. No how. I do not agree,” Tyrese texted his ex-wife in September. “The [previous agreement] we made regarding school selection was never tied to any out-of-state relocation for Soraya. It was specific to Atlanta and the surrounding areas, where I could still be an active and present father. Any attempt to twist that into consent for a cross-country move is manipulative, baseless, and directly against Georgia law.”
According to court documents, the “Fast & Furious” actor had been previously ordered to pay $10,000 per month in child support in 2022. In the new agreement, the child support was amended to $5,550 per month
Tyrese emphasized in further text that his youngest daughter needed family stability, considering that her older sister is graduating from high school in Atlanta, and such a move would hurt both children. He also explained how such a move would hurt him as he was continuing to grieve the death of his father and mother.
“If God is leading you to Portland, then He is leading you — not Soraya,” Tyrese texted. “You are free to go, but our daughter will remain in Atlanta, where her life, her stability, her sister, and her father are.”
Samantha Gibson filed a response to Tyrese’s lawsuit, including a counterclaim alleging contempt of court. She alleges Tyrese never “personally picked up or dropped off the child for his parenting time and during his parenting time he delegates virtually 100% of his parenting duties to a nanny, including, frequently sending [Soraya] to the nanny’s house during his parenting time so that his house is quiet, thus allowing him to sleep during the day since he apparently spends his nights in a music studio.”
