Simon Guobadia, the estranged husband of Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams, has been deported from the United States to Nigeria, where he originally immigrated from over four decades ago.
According to a report by the DailyMail, the businessman was deported after being held in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His removal came amid a renewed crackdown on undocumented migrants under directives backed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The report reveals that Guobadia was arrested in February upon entering the U.S. to attend a court hearing related to his ongoing divorce from Williams. He was detained at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia for about three months before being sent back to Nigeria.
Guobadia, who first arrived in the U.S. in 1982, had a long history of immigration violations. He was first declared deportable in 1985 after overstaying his visa. Although he briefly returned to Nigeria, he re-entered the U.S. in 1986 on another visa and once again remained beyond the allowed period.
In an attempt to adjust his immigration status, Guobadia married an American citizen, Karron English, in 1985. However, the U.S. immigration authorities denied his application, concluding that the marriage was fraudulent after his then-wife claimed they never lived together or consummated the union.
Over the years, Guobadia faced multiple legal troubles. He was convicted of credit card and bank fraud in 1987, unauthorized vehicle use in 1989, and more fraud-related charges in 1990 and 1991. His criminal record prompted immigration authorities to begin deportation proceedings, which led to his forced removal in 1992.
Despite this, Guobadia later obtained a green card by using a false identity under the Special Agricultural Worker Program, a temporary U.S. immigration initiative. In 1993, he earned a degree in accounting from the University of the District of Columbia and went on to establish SIMCOL Petroleum, a fuel supply company based in Atlanta. He also launched a restaurant, Simon’s, in Midtown Atlanta, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His recent marriage to Porsha Williams in November 2022 came after a brief engagement in 2021. Before Porsha, he was previously married to RHOA cast member Falynn Pina. However, in February 2024, Williams publicly announced the end of their marriage and later filed for divorce. Guobadia has since accused her of misleading him about her departure from the show, which influenced his decision to agree to their prenuptial arrangement.
Speaking after his deportation, Guobadia described the experience as emotional, stating he had no access to a phone for days while in detention. He said he was finally able to contact his house manager, who then informed his friend and business associate, Tai Savet.
Savet confirmed to Us Weekly that Guobadia had been deported and was now back in Nigeria. He added that despite the ordeal, Guobadia was in “good spirits” and was planning to reunite with his children and travel to Dubai, where he had previously lived.
When contacted, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it had no official information on the deportation. Likewise, the Nigeria Immigration Service stated that inquiries were still being made regarding the case.
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