Nathan Wade accused of failing to pay ex-wife's medical bills, cutting off children
Special prosecutor Nathan Wade sits in court during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on March 1, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. The hearing is to determine whether Fulton County District At
ATLANTA - Former Fulton County Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade is facing accusations of neglecting to cover urgent medical procedures for his ex-wife and helping support the couple's children, according to an application for citation of contempt filed with the Cobb County Superior Court on April 3.
Wade was appointed as the special prosecutor by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to investigate allegations of election interference by former President Donald Trump and his supporters in the 2020 presidential election. Reportedly compensated nearly $700,000 for his work over a 2.5-year period, Wade's investigation led to the indictment of Trump and 18 others in August 2023.
Nathan and Joycelyn Wade were married on June 21, 1997, and separated on Aug. 15, 2021, with Nathan filing for divorce on Nov. 2, 2021, one day after being hired by Fulton County.
Joycelyn Wade files motion to reopen discovery
In September 2023, Joycelyn Wade filed a motion to reopen discovery in their divorce case, citing Nathan Wade's extravagant spending habits and inadequate financial support. As a result, Nathan Wade disclosed credit card statements in December revealing non-work-related expenses with Willis.
Timeline: Fulton County DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade controversy
Michael Roman files motion
In January 2024, one of Trump's co-defendants, Michael Roman, filed a motion seeking the disqualification of Willis and her team because of an "improper" relationship with Wade. The motion also accused Willis of benefiting from hiring Wade.
Agreement stops Willis deposition
Initially, Willis and Wade declined to comment on the accusations and refrained from confirming or denying the alleged relationship. On Jan. 8, Jocelyn Wade served Willis with a notice of deposition. Willis responded by accusing Joycelyn Wade of interfering in the Trump case. Before Willis was scheduled to testify, the Wades reached an out-of-court divorce settlement.
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Subsequently, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee presided over several days of testimony concerning the original motion filed by Roman and similar motions from other defendants, including Trump. Wade and Willis asserted their innocence, stating they derived no financial benefit from their involvement in the prosecution of the Georgia election interference case or their relationship.
Following these proceedings, Judge McAfee ruled that either Willis or Wade must recuse themselves for the case to proceed. In his ruling, McAfee wrote that an "odor of mendacity" remained around the case and Wade's unconvincing explanation for the inaccurate interrogatories he submitted in his pending divorce suggested a willingness on his part to improperly conceal his relationship with Willis.
Wade resigned from his position a few hours after the ruling.
Urgent medical procedures needed
The recent filing emphasizes Joycelyn Wade's urgent need for medical procedures, including an endoscopy, colonoscopy, and ultrasound. Nathan Wade allegedly instructed his ex-wife to cover the expenses herself with reimbursement at a later date, despite a court order mandating him to make direct payments to the healthcare provider.
Nathan Wade tells children to get money from Joycelyn
Moreover, Nathan Wade is accused of discontinuing financial support for their children. He reportedly informed their daughter, currently in college aspiring to attend medical school, that he would no longer cover her rent and living expenses. He told his daughter this on the day that her rent was due, according to the filing. Similarly, Wade reneged on his commitment to finance their daughter's MCAT expenses. Their son, pursuing a professional soccer career in Europe, was also informed by Wade to seek financial support from his mother. Despite the fact that Nathan Wade promised to cover his son's expenses so that he could obtain a visa.
Dire financial straits
Joycelyn Wade claims that Nathan's abrupt termination of support has left her in dire financial straits, with a monthly income of less than $1,000, since she is now providing for their children. Additionally, Nathan Wade reportedly owes $15,000 to Joycelyn Wade's financial expert, with his failure to provide the owed amount exacerbating the financial strain.
On March 16, Nathan Wade canceled an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on the following day, citing a "family emergency." It is unknown what that family emergency may have been.