It has been 7 years since Aaron Hernandez committed suicide at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, MA.
The former footballer set up a trust fund before taking his own life on April 19, 2017. The fund was to provide money for his young daughter and protect it from creditors.
- Hernandez’s former fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, has received $832,040.83 to care for their only child, Avielle.
- Shayanna was accused of misspending her daughter’s trust fund.
- The convicted criminal’s former fiancée has denied all the accusations saying since Aaron’s passing her sole focus has been to raise her children.
In November 2015, Yahoo Sports reported that on the day he was arrested the New England Patriots paid Aaron Hernandez $9 million of the $40 million contract he had signed a year earlier.
Soon after, Aaron was convicted of the crime. Victim Lloyd’s family was trying to get damages out of Hernandez’s estate. However, his assets were already underwater, owing more money than it had in assets.
It is speculated that the $9 million Aaron got from the Patriots was put in the trust fund.
Matthew Berlin, a trustee of the Hernandez trust, didn’t disclose to the Boston Herald when the trust was established whether Hernandez was a trustee or what its value was.
So, no one knows for sure what happened to that $9 million or whether Aaron put it into a trust fund.
Lawyers only disclosed that it could be dissolved if the trust was created to defraud creditors.
Hernandez’s Former Fiancée Shayanna Accused Of Misspending Her Child’s Trust Fund
In 2023, after reviewing the court document, Boston25 reported that Aaron Hernandez’s ex-partner received $832,040.83 to care for their daughter, Avielle (born in 2012).
The publication also revealed that as Avielle’s conservator, Jenkins-Hernandez receives about $150,000 a year from Aaron Hernandez’s NFL pension and social security.
In September, she requested $10,697 from her daughter’s trust fund for dance lessons. However, the independent third-party trustee David Schwartz denied the request.
He said that Shayanna should have had enough money already.
“I believe that (Jenkins-Hernandez) has been co-mingling the child’s funds with her own. ”
Schwartz’ lawyer Rovert O’Regan
The trustee’s lawyer also noted that Jenkins-Hernandez has a nearly five-year history of spending excessively.
The lawyer also added that she had repeatedly ignored the court’s orders and didn’t keep proper records or file updated financial reports.
“Her failure to file an inventory and up-to-date accounts all indicate that despite what might be her best intentions, Ms. Jenkins-Hernandez is not effectively performing her duties as conservator.”
Schwartz’ lawyer Rovert O’Regan
At the same time, Schwartz also disclosed that the late athlete’s former fiancée spent $36,858 on clothing, $39,347 on home goods, $25,577 shopping online, and $11,792 on self-care, including gym fees and nail salon visits.
Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez Insisted She Didn’t Spend Money Improperly
Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez has denied spending money improperly. She said the trust fund should be available when needed.
"Since Aaron's de-th, my main focus has been on raising my children and providing them with as stable a life for my children as possible." Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez emailed the Boston Globe.
“All monies I have spent have been with this singular focus in mind, and this will continue to be my focus going forward.”
Her lawyer, Stephen Withers, also defended her actions. The lawyer called the controversy “much ado about nothing.”
He stated, “Shayanna has focused on her children. Any claims that she’s spending money inappropriately are completely false.”
Schwartz requested that Jenkins be removed as Avielle’s conservator.
Additional Information
- According to her Instagram, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez is a licensed insurance broker with Symmetry Financial Group. She also has an event planning business named “Mommy and Me.”
- Justrichest reported that Shayanna’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million.
- Aaron Hernandez’s former partner welcomed her second daughter, Giselle, on June 16. 2018, with Dino Guilmette. It is unclear if she is still dating Dino.
