Karla Knafel asserted that when Michael Jordan learned she was possibly bearing his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, he offered her $5 million if she maintained their 1989–1991 tryst under wraps. She responded furiously to Michael Jordan’s lawsuit against her for purportedly extorting him. She also said that he promised to give her $5 million when he retired from playing basketball and persuaded her to abort the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 he believed to be his.
Michael Jordan and Karla Knafels (Image Credit: The Ball Hog & Twitter)
Knafel further claimed that Jordan informed her that his union with Juanita Jordan was a “business arrangement”. He claimed his sports agent had urged him to sign onto “to maintain his favorable public image”, at the same time when he was attempting to lure Knafel over to a commitment. Through his counsel, Jordan alleged that the countersuit was “full of lies” and described the marital charges as “hurtful and malicious.”
Michael Jordan and Karla Knafels (Image Credit: Famous Fix & CNBC)
According to Knafel’s lawsuit, the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in July 1991. At a press conference, Michael Hannafan, the attorney for Knafel, had to answer if the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 in question was Jordan’s. He responded, “No.” Knafel allegedly decided against having an abortion due to her “personal beliefs” according to the lawsuit. Hannafan chose not to respond to any queries about the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥.
Although Jordan’s two-page lawsuit acknowledged that he paid Knafel $250,000, it was imprecise as to when the relationship began, stating only that it occurred “more than a decade ago”. Jordan claimed that Knafel had “attempted to extort additional money” from him through lawyers.
The lawsuit made it apparent that before Juanita Jordan filed for divorce from Jordan in January 2002, Knafel’s prior legal representatives had spoken with Jordan’s counsel about the $5 million demand. The Jordans declared they were pursuing a reconciliation and withdrew their divorce 31 days later.
Is the divorce of Michael Jordan from Juanita Vanoy a result of his alleged extramarital affair?
Juanita Vanoy and Michael Jordan declared they were splitting up in 2002, and they later filed for divorce in 2006. During their nuptials in September 1989, there were rumors of Jordan’s infidelity, including the Knafels affair. However, there might be more to it. According to Karla Knafel’s lawsuit, Jordan was the one who pursued her during their 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual rendezvous, which lasted from 1989 until 1991.
Michael Jordan with Juanita Vanoy (left) and Karla Knafels (right) (Image Credit: NY Times & Twitter)
Knafel claimed that she was initially acquainted with Jordan while performing in a band at a hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana, just before the Bulls’ game against the Indiana Pacers. She found out she was expecting in the spring of 1991. She thought it was a consequence of the 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual encounter she had with Jordan in Phoenix in November 1990.
However, two paternity tests concluded that Jordan was not the father of Knafel’s 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. Knafel acknowledged having unprotected liaisons with a different man while she was seeing Jordan but argued that actual paternity was irrelevant. Jordan had made a verbal commitment based on information she “believed in good faith” at the time. (h/t via Courthouse News)
Source: sportsmanor.com
