Golden Bachelor star Mel Owens embroiled in divorce dispute over nearly $1 million and California home

Golden Bachelor star Mel Owens remains embroiled in a court fight with his ex-wife over a near-$1 million equalization payment and the couple's California home, with a new filing indicating he has paid only a fraction of what was ordered and could face a sale of the home to satisfy the debt. The dispute centers on an equalization payment of about $980,000 tied to their December 2024 divorce, which followed a four-year court battle. Fabiana Owens, 47, asserts in a motion reviewed by Daily Mail that Mel Owens has not paid the full amount by the February 28, 2025 deadline and has made just a single $40,000 payment. She says the outstanding balance, plus accrued interest, totals roughly $978,887.67, and that daily interest continues to accrue at about $257.53.

Their marital home is in Aliso Viejo, California. Purchased in 2008 for about $840,000, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom property now carries an estimated value well over $2 million and features a pool and built-in barbecue. Fabiana requests that the property be listed for sale immediately to satisfy the debt, with the proceeds first applied to the unpaid balance and related costs, then a request that Mel vacate the home within 14 days of a hearing to facilitate the sale. In the filing, she notes she has repeatedly sought clarification on payment terms and timeline from Mel’s side, but those inquiries have gone unanswered. The motion also seeks $25,000 in attorney fees, arguing that Mel’s income as a former NFL player and his role on The Golden Bachelor support such costs.

The filings present a broader portrait of a divorce finalized in December 2024, after years of litigation. Fabiana says Mel is a co-obligor on the mortgage and that his delinquencies have increased her financial exposure. She asserts she has faced ongoing financial risk and that Mel has long displayed a pattern of disregarding court orders, including prior sanctions for issues related to discovery in the case. The divorce agreement also allocated child-related costs and set an equalization payment intended to resolve a range of financial issues in one comprehensive settlement. The case is slated to be discussed at a hearing next month. Daily Mail, which reviewed the filings, has reached out to both sides for comment; Mel Owens’ attorney declined to comment while Fabiana’s counsel did not provide a statement.

The legal drama unfolds amid Mel Owens’ renewed prominence as The Golden Bachelor enters its second season. He made his premiere appearance answering questions from 23 contestants and sharing a poolside moment with the group after a Queen Mary cruise-date date and a Paula Abdul–judged cheerleading showdown. In the premiere, he sent 10 of the women home by episode’s end, and he spoke about anxiety and the challenge of forming connections amid public scrutiny. Separately, public reporting on his remarks about preferred age ranges for a partner drew backlash; he later apologized for those comments.

In income disclosures filed in December 2024, Mel reported earning about $1,000 per month from his work with Namanny, Byrne & Owens, while Fabiana’s filings indicated she earned roughly $6,875 per month. The documents also show Mel’s reported assets, including approximately $250,000 in checking and savings and roughly $2.5 million in other real estate holdings. Fabiana’s filings describe the equalization payment as part of a structured settlement designed to resolve multiple financial issues from the marriage, including spousal and child-related obligations.

The ongoing dispute underscores the intersection of public life and private litigation for Mel Owens, whose appearance on The Golden Bachelor has kept him in the public eye while the court battle with Fabiana continues. The Daily Mail reported on the filings and noted that the case’s next hearing would address the requests to place the home for sale and to determine the disposition of sale proceeds, mortgage obligations, and attorney fees. As the legal process moves forward, both sides have maintained that their positions remain unresolved, with the court poised to decide on the merits of the sale and the remaining equalization balance.