90 Day Fiance: The Other Way star Daniele Gates surprised her Dominican husband Yohan by revealing that she no longer wants him to move to the United States with her. She explains that it is much too expensive to live in New York City and she would rather move to the Dominican Republic permanently to enjoy “a life with sun, with family, with peace.”
The reveal was a huge shock to Yohan, but he may be even more shocked to find out just how much Daniele can’t afford to live in New York City, as evidenced by her 2022 bankruptcy filing!
Daniele initially filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy (aka voluntary repayment bankruptcy) on January 22, 2022. A couple weeks later, Daniele applied to have her filing changed to Chapter 7 bankruptcy (aka liquidation bankruptcy).
According to the filing, Daniele had liabilities in the amount of 224,584.42. Her monthly income was $1,300 less than her monthly expenses — including the high New York rent Daniele mentioned on The Other Way.
“I pay $4,000 just for my apartment,” Daniele told Yohan. It turns out that Daniele was a little less than half right. On the bankruptcy filing, she lists her “rental expenses” as 3,475 a month. That’s not too far off. What is mostly wrong about Daniele’s statement to Yohan is her claim that she actually paid her rent.
According to the filing, Daniele owed $36,000 in rent for an apartment in Yonkers. She also listed a Bronx apartment in the filing, and that Bronx apartment is the only one listed under the section for “unexpired personal property leases.” I’m guessing that means Daniele no longer lived in the Yonkers apartment at the time of the bankruptcy filing, and she had relocated to the Bronx apartment?
Daniele’s biggest debt listed in the filing was the $80,000 she owed to EZ Pass, which she described as “business debt.”
#90DayFiance As we previously reported, #TheOtherWay personal finance guru Daniele Gates declared bankruptcy in 2022 and stated she owed E-ZPass $80,000. How is that even possible? And did they suspend her license? https://t.co/GFasg3nQve
— Starcasm (@starcasm) May 11, 2023
In second place was more than $60,000 in student loan debt, followed by the $36,000 Daniele owed for rent.
There were numerous credit card companies and collection agencies listed, as well as $4,600 that Daniele owed for “parking tickets and penalties.”
A discharge was granted to Daniele on May 19, 2022. Here’s an excerpt from the discharge filing:
Creditors cannot collect discharged debts
This order means that no one may make any attempt to collect a discharged debt from the debtors personally. For example, creditors cannot sue, garnish wages, assert a deficiency, or otherwise try to collect from the debtors personally on discharged debts. Creditors cannot contact the debtors by mail, phone, or otherwise in any attempt to collect the debt personally. Creditors who violate this order can be required to pay debtors damages and attorney’s fees.
However, a creditor with a lien may enforce a claim against the debtors’ property subject to that lien unless the lien was avoided or eliminated. For example, a creditor may have the right to foreclose a home mortgage or repossess an automobile.
The list of debts not discharged by the bankruptcy filing included most student loan debts and “debts for most fines, penalties, forfeitures, or criminal restitution obligations.” I don’t know if the latter includes “parking tickets and penalties.”
It’s unclear how a recent bankruptcy filing would impact Daniele’s chances of receiving a spousal visa for Yohan. As fans of the numerous 90 Day Fiance shows are well aware, you can be flat broke and still bring someone into the country as long as you have someone willing to be a sponsor.
I can only assume that Daniele will reveal the bankruptcy filing to Yohan (and viewers) this season. If so, I assume we will learn more when Daniele films an inevitable meeting with an immigration attorney to discuss her and Yohan’s situation. Stay tuned!
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
