The United States has deported Simon Guobadia, the estranged husband of reality TV star Porsha Williams, back to Nigeria after decades of immigration and legal troubles.
Guobadia, a businessman and former cast member on *The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA)*, was deported following his arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year. He was detained in February after arriving in the US to attend a divorce hearing with Williams.
According to US media reports, Guobadia, 61, had lived in America for over 40 years but was first declared deportable as far back as 1985 for overstaying his visa. He later attempted to legalise his stay through marriage, but his first wife reportedly told authorities that the marriage was fake.
Over the years, Guobadia was arrested multiple times on fraud-related charges. He pleaded guilty to bank and credit card fraud in 1987, and faced additional charges in 1989, 1990, and 1991. He was forcibly deported in 1992 but re-entered the country using a false identity under a special immigration programme meant for agricultural workers, which helped him get a green card.
Despite this troubled past, Guobadia built a successful business life in Atlanta. He earned a degree in accounting in 1993, founded SIMCOL Petroleum in 2010, and opened a high-end restaurant, Simon’s, in 2017. However, the restaurant shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Guobadia gained public attention through reality TV. He was first introduced on RHOA as the husband of Falynn Pina, before marrying Porsha Williams in November 2022. Their marriage lasted just over a year before Williams filed for divorce in February 2024.
After his recent detention in Georgia’s Stewart Detention Center, Guobadia was deported back to Nigeria. His friend and business partner, Tai Savet, confirmed he is now in Nigeria and said he is in “good spirits” after the ordeal.
Guobadia said he plans to reunite with his children and travel to Dubai, where he has lived in the past.
