SOUTHERN Charm star Kathryn Dennis is “broke” and “only has $11 in her bank account,” as she dresses her daughter in a Fendi outfit amid her nasty custody battle with ex-boyfriend Thomas Ravenel.
Thomas, 58, demanded full custody of their daughter Kensie, 6, and their son Saint, 5, in their ongoing court war.
The Sun can exclusively reveal Thomas alleged Kathryn, 29, is “broke” despite making “hundreds of thousands of dollars” on hit reality show Southern Charm.
In the court documents obtained by The Sun, Thomas claimed Kathryn was ordered to pay $100 in child support a month per child, but “never paid it consistently.”
Her mother, who has now passed away, wrote him the child support checks, he claimed.
Thomas wrote: “Kathryn has made hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past few years as a reality TV star yet is consistently broke.
“Money mismanagement issues have plagued Kathryn her entire life; in our first custody action, she spent tens of thousands of dollars on clothes a month, but failed to pay her water bill.”
He claimed that since they agreed to joint custody in November 2019, the reality star has “texted me numerous times asking for money, despite making a six-figure income.”
The former politician continued: “At one point this summer, Kathryn begged me for money and told me she only had $11 in her bank account.”
He said he earns “enough money to adequately provide for Kensie and Saint.”
Thomas is also not asking for child support, as ordering Kathryn to make monthly payments will “set her up to fail.”
Thomas provided alleged messages from Kathryn in the court filing.
One message purportedly from the mom of two read: “Do you have any cash that I can have? I don’t have any money at all. I have $11. Since we can’t have a nanny with the virus can you please pay child support? I can’t work right now and I don’t have any money…”
Another read: “Hey Thomas I don’t have any cash to put under Kensie’s pillow, can you please respond."
In Kathryn’s response filed in December, she said: “I work on a television show and I get paid per episode. We have only shot two episodes so far this year because of Covid.
“This has put me in a financial bind for this year and I cannot afford to finance a defense to Plaintiff’s claims or for a guardian. “
She requested Thomas reimburse her for attorney fees and costs.
In their financial declarations, Thomas listed his monthly income as $166,728. He put $58,188 for his monthly expenses.
As for Kathryn, she listed her monthly income as $5,166. Her monthly expenses are $3,200.
Kathryn did not immediately respond to The Sun's request for comment.
But despite Kathryn’s financial woes, she hasn’t given up her expensive lifestyle, as she posted a photo in a Fendi shirt alongside her daughter, who sported a Fendi skirt, on Sunday.
She captioned the Instagram post: “Me and my mini feelin a lil @fendi ;).”
Fendi skirts for kids can run in the $400s, while Kathryn’s sweater is in the $900s.
Kathryn posted the photo days after Thomas claimed the children return from their mother's home “filthy and unkempt," according to the court documents obtained by The Sun.
He claimed in the court filing: “When the children are picked up after their week with Kathryn, they are filthy, their hair is matted, they smell and they are unusually tired and irritable.
“During the summer they were routinely returned without shoes. Saint is regularly returned wearing clothes that are so small on him, they leave marks on his skin.”
Kathryn responded to the claim: “This is untrue. My children are always well dressed and clean when in my care and I am often complimented on how cute they look.”
The Sun also reported Thomas is “terrified” of Kathryn’s alleged “cocaine use” and fears something “devastating” will happen to their children in her care.
Also in the public South Carolina court records obtained by The Sun, Thomas claimed a mutual friend told him about a recent trip he took to North Carolina with Kathryn, her boyfriend Chleb Ravenell, Kensie, Saint and others.
Thomas claimed the friend said: “He informed me that he witnessed a lot of cocaine use during this trip and that Kathryn had left cocaine within grasp of the children, which he thought was dangerous.”
Kathryn alleged in her court response: “I do not use cocaine so naturally I have not left any out for our children to access.”
She also agreed to take a drug test as long as Thomas “pays for it and takes one as well.”
He explained how he has “never wanted to deprive Kensie and Saint ample time with their mother” and that Kathryn “loves” their children.
He continued: “But I have been terrified for years that they continue to be put in harm’s way every time they are in her care.”
Thomas noted how at one point earlier this year, they got along and he let her stay in his guest home, which was featured on Southern Charm.
He added: “However, I could not and cannot ignore the accumulation of evidence that Kathryn continues to put our children in harm’s way.”
Thomas continued in the court documents: “Kathryn cannot be allowed to play Russian Roulette with our children’s lives.
"Unless the Court intervenes to protect Kensie and Saint, it is not a matter of ‘if,’ it is a matter of ‘when’ until something devastating happens to them while under Kathryn’s care.”
Kathryn said in her response: "Though I hired a full-time nanny, in September, in anticipation of the filming of the show resuming, when I am at home and not working, I am the one caring for the children."
The Sun also reported from the custody court documents that Thomas claimed Saint was “formerly diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome due to Kathryn’s excessive drug and alcohol consumption while he was in utero.”
Thomas claimed their son took “speech and occupational therapy for years to help combat his delays, but he is still falling behind at school.”
In an effort to help Saint catch up to his peers, his teacher created two folders labeled “Mom” and “Dad” containing worksheets for him to complete daily, Thomas’ court filing alleges.
Thomas claimed the folder labeled “Mom” has “never been touched.”
Kathryn did not address Thomas’ claims that their son was formally diagnosed with FAS or that she did not help him complete the school worksheets in her court response.
However, she has generally denied Thomas’ claims of substance abuse.
He is requesting Kathryn have supervised visitation with the children every other weekend.
Kathryn is requesting they continue to share joint custody of the children.
The custody case remains ongoing.
Thomas initially accused Kathryn of drinking alcohol while pregnant with Saint in a 2019 court filing.
A source told People at the time: “A lot has been made about Saints’ development and behavioral problems, but the only issue Saint has are tubes in his ears.
“His eustachian tubes weren’t draining, so he had his adenoids out and needed tubes in his ears — like lots of little kids his age who have that same problem.
“The hearing deficits can cause a speech delay. It’s not unusual at all, and he regularly sees an ear nose and throat doctor for it. One can be developmentally delayed and not have a developmental problem. He’s just a little boy.”
Kathryn lost full custody of the children in 2016 and entered rehab after she tested positive for marijuana.
In 2018, she filed for primary custody of the kids after Thomas was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the second degree.
The couple’s former nanny, Dawn, accused him of sexual assault in 2018.
Thomas pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and battery charges.
He received a 30-day suspended sentence and was ordered to pay a $500 fine.
Thomas said at the time: “While I reiterate that I have never intentionally sexually assaulted anyone, I also acknowledge that by making an unwelcome advance to Dawn in my home, while she was babysitting my daughter, I behaved improperly and caused her immediate and lasting emotional distress.
"I unqualifiedly apologize for having done so.”
Thomas was fired from Southern Charm before season six.
In 2019, the exes agreed to share joint legal and physical custody of their children with Thomas “being the primary custodian.”
Thomas filed for full custody again in October 2020.
Thomas claimed that since their 2019 joint custody agreement, there have been “changes” affecting the “health, safety and welfare” of the children.
