Exploring Simon Guobadia's citizenship status and criminal past amid divorce from Porsha Williams

The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s star Porsha Williams' divorce filing from her husband, Simon Guobadia, has sparked renewed interest in Guobadia's citizenship status and criminal history. According to several reports, Guobadia has been denied US citizenship due to his criminal past, which involves several felonies for financial fraud, credit card fraud, identity theft, and more.

Simon Guobadia and Porsha Williams got married in November 2022 in a high-profile Nigerian traditional native law and custom ceremony followed by an American ceremony in Atlanta. While the lavish wedding ceremony captured public attention, speculation regarding Simon Guobadia's past resurfaced following their union.

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Details surrounding the citizenship and legal troubles of Simon Guobadia, Porsha Williams’ soon-to-be ex

Simon Guobadia, who was born in Nigeria, has faced numerous legal challenges in his quest for US citizenship. Court documents reveal a turbulent history, dating back to his initial arrival in the United States in 1982. Despite his initial attempts to secure citizenship, his troubled past led to multiple rejections.

On January 11, a 13-page petition was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. Simon Iyore Guobadia filed a civil case against UR Mendoza Jaddou, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Shineka Miller, Director of the USCIS Atlanta Field Office.

According to the documents, Guobadia requested US citizenship and naturalization, but his application was denied on July 27, 2022. This prompted Guobadia to request a hearing in hopes of overturning the decision. However, his efforts were met with reaffirmed denials.

It has been reported that the businessman first came to the States on August 11, 1982, and overstayed his visitor visa. In 1985, when his citizenship application was denied and he was declared deportable, Guobadia voluntarily left the United States. He re-entered the country in June 1986 and overstayed his 6-month visitor visa, for which he was ultimately deported in 1992.

Between 1986 and 1992, he also allegedly engaged in identity theft, using various aliases to apply for temporary resident status under the Social Agricultural Worker (SAW) program. His application, submitted on October 24, 1988, was granted on July 25, 1991, despite omitting his criminal record and misrepresenting his identity.

Ironically, his new identity of Guobadia helped him become a permanent resident on April 27, 1992, just 26 days after he had been deported under his other undisclosed identity for overstaying the visa.

Guobadia's legal troubles go beyond citizenship issues. Records show a pattern of criminal behavior, with arrests for bank and credit card fraud in 1987, illegal vehicle use in 1989, and additional fraud charges in 1990 and 1991.

Porsha Williams' divorce petition has rekindled concerns about Simon Guobadia's citizenship and criminal history. While sources close to the couple claim that the divorce is unrelated to the allegations, the timing raises concerns about Guobadia's legal difficulties and his relationship with Porsha Williams.

Incidentally, Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia's relationship was a rushed one, with the duo getting engaged in May 2021, just one month after meeting. Porsha Williams's professional life also involved a lot of Guobadia, with the duo appearing together in a Real Housewives spinoff titled Porsha's Family Matters in 2021.