Stevie Wonder is taking legal action against his reported ex-fiancée, filing this week to evict the man who allegedly lived rent-free on his Studio City property for nearly four decades.
The prolific musician, whose legal name is Stevland Morris, filed a legal complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday against Carmen Efferson, who he said had been living unpaid in a home on Oak Glen Drive since July 1988, according to the complaint obtained by The Times. Wonder is trying to evict Efferson over allegations that he refused to allow inspectors onto the property earlier in the summer and failed to vacate the home in August despite receiving a 30-day notice in late July.
Efferson, who was once engaged to the Grammy-winning “Songs in the Key of Life” musician, did not immediately respond to multiple requests for response from The Times on Friday, TMZ reported. Wonder’s legal representative, 76, had no comment and did not clarify the singer’s reported relationship with Efferson. Wonder has been married to Tomeeka Bracy since 2017.
According to the musician’s complaint, Wonder and Efferson reached a verbal agreement in 1988 that he could occupy the property without paying monthly rent. Tensions began in July of this year when Wonder representatives attempted to access the property multiple times “in an attempt to update and maintain property insurance,” according to an email between Wonder’s legal representatives and Efferson included in the complaint.
An attorney for Wonder notified Efferson on July 23 that a property inspection would be conducted the following week. Efferson emailed another of Wonder’s lawyers on July 25, wording the request differently: “please refrain from your racism.” [sic] nonchalant ‘white male privilege’ tone.
“I feel harassed,” Efferson said, according to screenshots of her email. “I do not consent to YOUR ORDERS regarding entering the place where I live.”
He ended his email with a clear statement. An attorney for Wonder responded two days later, telling Efferson that the attorney who issued the review notice was “not a racist, uncool, white, or male.”
In a July 27 email, Efferson threatened to “immediately contact law enforcement” if Wonder’s representatives attempted to enter the property. The next day, lawyers notified Efferson that he had 30 days to vacate.
“You have been given the opportunity to deny access and reconsider your decision to deny access,” the notice said, according to the complaint. Efferson was ordered to vacate the property by August 27
On October 6, Wonder’s lawyers served Efferson a three-day notice to leave the house for allegedly violating a verbal agreement he had with the musician. Wonder’s legal representatives also claimed they gave Efferson “three additional opportunities to grant entry” for the audit, but Efferson did not respond.
“The owner has suffered losses as a result of the cancellation of his property insurance policy and is now at serious risk of economic loss due to your actions to prevent the protection and preservation of the Property,” the attorneys said in the statement. The attorneys also informed Efferson that Wonder would file a complaint if access was denied again.
Wonder, who is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his seminal “Songs in the Key of Life” this year, is seeking termination of his lease with Efferson, legal fees and up to $600 in statutory damages.