Michael Ilesanmi is looking to get support— and $50,000!— from 90 Day Fiancé fans to help him in his legal fight against his estranged wife Angela Deem.
The “Happily Ever After?” star hit The Interwebs on Tuesday to spread the word about a GoFundMe fundraiser he recently created to help him raise money to pay the lawyer he has hired to help him in his battle against Angela. As The Ashley recently reported, Angela filed for an annulment back in June, claiming that her 36-year-old Nigerian husband allegedly “fraudulently induced [her] into a marriage for the purpose of gaining legal permanent resident status in the United States.”
In her legal paperwork, Angela accused Michael of being “engaged in a conspiracy with other Nigerian men to induce U.S. citizens into marriage for the purpose of gaining legal permanent resident status.” (However, during Sunday’s ‘Happily Ever After?’ Season 8 “Tell-All” episode, a private investigator hired by Angela to investigate Michael stated that he had found no evidence of Michael scamming Angela, cheating on Angela or being unethical in terms of his motives for marrying Angela.)
Anyway, in the bio of his GoFundMe page, Michael explained that he needs to raise $50,000 to pay for his lawyer.
“I have been put in a situation where I unfortunately have to ask for help,” Michael wrote. “Due to the recent legal filings by Angela against me I must seek legal advice. I have obtained an attorney but the fees are expensive. I have a legal battle to fight and that fight will be expensive. I am asking all my fans to help – whatever you can give I would deeply appreciate. I understand all of us are having hard times and I hate to ask others for money support but it seems like due to the legal actions brought against me I have to ask.”
Michael quickly followed his post up with a Facebook Live video that he made to ensure his fans that his fundraiser is real.
“I just shared the GoFundMe link on my bio,” he said. “Please kindly show your support. You guys know she filed [for an] annulment against me. I really need your support right now…
“I’m doing the best I can on my end, too. So I really need your support,” he continued. “The GoFundMe link is real, it’s from me, it’s not fake or anything.”
Within one hour of Michael posting the fundraiser, he had already accrued over $3,200 in donations.
In the comment section of his Instagram post about the fundraiser, fans mostly rallied around Michael.
View this post on Instagram
“Let’s start a petition to keep Michael and send Angela to Nigeria!” one person wrote.
Others mentioned Angela’s shocking (and abusive) behavior toward Michael during the “Tell-All” episodes— actions that had many fans taking to social media to call out TLC, as well as the show’s producers and other cast members— for not stepping in to protect Michael.
“You suffered enough,” one person wrote. “No one should go through the kind of verbal abuse that [you] went through.”
“TLC should be paying this period!” someone else commented. “They are part to blame for allowing it on their platform.”
Angela has yet to publicly comment on Michael’s fundraiser.
UPDATE! On Wednesday, Angela posted her response to Michael’s fundraiser. You can see that here.
UPDATE 2! On Thursday, Michael took to Facebook to post an update on the fundraiser and thank fans for helping him.
“Dear friends, family and supporters, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your generosity and support through my GoFundMe campaign,” he wrote. “Your contributions have brought me hope and strength during this incredibly challenging time in my life. As I navigate the complex and emotionally draining legal battle, your donations have helped alleviate some of the financial burdens, allowing me to focus on seeking justice and protecting my well-being.
“Your kindness and trust in me mean everything,” he continued. “I am humbled by your willingness to stand with me during this difficult journey.”
As of this update, Michael has raised $28,734, which has surpassed the $25,000 goal he had set. (It was originally set at $50,000 but Michael amended it on the first day the fundraiser went live.) Over 1400 people have donated to the fundraiser so far.
RELATED STORY: “90 Day Fiance” Star Angela Deem Officially Files For Annulment From Estranged Husband Michael Ilesanmi; Claims Michael Committed Fraud
30 Responses
Weeee Ah Angela Deem too much bad should she calm down. Why Angela ?
If anyone did some scamming it was Angela
She made a lot of promises to Michael she never kept
She took away his freedom and friends
She held the k1 process over his head and then the divorce papers.
I find it disgusting and sad that people says he knew what she like
He deserves it
He should go back to his own country
He’s a scammer (even after being proven not to be)
Why don’t people realise how manipulating a abusive person can be
To where their victim believes they themselves are doing wrong and does not see the abuse for what it really is.
When someone is murdered by their manipulating and abusive partners do you say ” they deserved it cause they knew what they were like.
Have you ever lost a loved one due to manipulating abuse?
What is your problem
Is it that Michael is a man and can’t be abused by a women cause women are the ” weaker sex” ?
Or is your problem Michaels race?
Because to have so much hate for a victim and
Supporting a manipulating abuser is totally disgusting to me
No wonder the world is in the mess it is with so much hate in it.
We need to stop this hate and bring in love
And stop the abuse show abusers we will not accept this behaviour.
I think the biggest problem is TLC using their programming for spousal abuse as a form of entertainment. Michael was abused from day one by Angela, long before he came to the USA. Even if she gets her marriage annulled she is still responsible for him financially for 10 years. I could care less where Michael is from, his color etc. What irritates me is TLC hiring Deem and filming her abusive behavior and foul mouth for years. And frankly is a green card worth 7 years of abuse?
Waste of Time. Bug difference in ages AND also inculture. No respecto of each other neither forvthemselves. What a mess.
You don’t need to raise money for an attorney. You was on the stage at the tell all and told Angela to send you back to your country.
Isn’t it amazing how Michael (also known as the scam artist) said he needs $50,000 for his attorney then after he saw on a few of the sites how people were calling him a scammer he changed it to $25,000, what a joke.
Is this Angela and the 2 daughters?
I being a Registered Sex Offender being around other children now?
I would think there would be an immigration lawyer or legal aid organization that would help him pro bono. All he’d have to do in court is show clips from the years of 90 day material!
He needs to go back to his country. JMO
I am sick of both of them. Any man who is willing to fall in love with a monster like Angela should bail himself out. He knew what kind of a woman she was. And he was willing to follow what she ordered, no friends, no job, be her slave. Make it easy on all of us. Send him back to Nigeria. And fire Angela for good.
He NEVER fell in love it was all a scam to get here. He doesn’t need no $50,000 either, another scam of his.
Angela is not innocent either. One can only imagine how she treats her grandkids. I would not donate money for Michael and as for Angela, she is awful. If she was dumb enough to spend 7 years to bring him here, it is her problem.
You are 100% correct about Angela.
You lose all credibility if you take Angela’s side on anything. Yet here we are.
Can’t stand her, and I can’t stand him either. Yes he used her to get here that is why I am so glad she filed for an annulment and not a divorce. No way does he ever want to go back home he even said he wants to get rich here and keep on doing reality tv since he is so popular here.
Yep. I knew if I clicked this article it would get hateful pretty quick in the comments and I was right. @TheAshley you really need report and block buttons seeing as one of the people who left a comment on this story repeatedly makes low-key racist comments on articles and regularly gets away with it.
@Wayward– what is the username? -The Ashley
Great. Now he can go back to his mother country and help it prosper. Since that is what we are told they are supposed to do in white countries.
The r*********r woman will hopefully not harm anyone in the future.
Wouldn’t give that scamer damn penny. Go back to your country. Glad she deporting his ass
Wait can’t he just go back home to Nigeria? Is a divorce in this country necessary in the grand scheme of things?
This was his plan along was to use her to get here. Wants greencard
While I genuinely have compassion for Michael and what he went through with Angela’s abuse. I don’t feel that should allow him the opportunity to stay in America. She is what got him the visa and they are and should stay over. He should go home, restart his life and move on to new and healthier relationships.
Larrisa is still here and her children are not.
I still don’t understand the mess of a house Angela and her daughter have. Especially when it’s going to be filmed. She really needs to spend less energy screaming and more energy cleaning. Good luck to Michael he seems to have endured enough.
What is there to understand? They are both slobs. Plus they have 6 kids in the house who are more than likely out of control. Angela fully expected to bring a slave over from Nigeria and she plainly did not understand the Nigerian culture. Michael wanted a green card and was willing to do what he needed to get here even if it took 7 years. She seriously thought he was going to clean up her mess, Skyla’s mess and the mess of 6 kids. The only thing important to Angela is Angela who thinks having weight loss surgery was going to make her gorgeous. Frankly, I am soon to be 77 and my skin looks nothing like hers. I gave up smoking more than 40 years ago. Never had surgery and yes i clean my house! Nor do i scream obscenities like Angela. Angela and Skyla are bums.
Yep. Nailed it
It was brand new not long ago. You can really tell what kind of people they are from the inside of their home.
You can put lipstick on a pig. But it’s still a pig.