Again in 2006, an unknown singer named Stefani Germanotta was signed to Interscope Data—not as a performer, however as a songwriter. Stefani had gentle success writing songs that had been recorded by a number of main pop acts, together with Britney Spears, New Youngsters on the Block, Fergie, and The Pussycat Dolls.
In the meantime, across the similar time, singer and producer Akon was struggling to complete tracks for what would turn into his second studio album, “Konvicted.” Someday, a label govt requested Stefani to step into the studio the place Akon was recording and lay down a reference vocal—a pattern efficiency meant to information how a completed music would possibly sound.
Because the story goes, Akon was so blown away by the younger girl’s voice that he instantly stopped what he was doing, walked straight to Jimmy Iovine’s workplace down the corridor and satisfied him to let Stefani signal to his new label, KonLive… as an artist.
After signing, Stefani Germanotta reinvented herself below a brand new identify: Lady Gaga. And the remainder is music historical past.
KonLive additionally launched or promoted acts like Kardinal Offishall, Colby O’Donis, and T-Ache, however Gaga’s success eclipsed all of them. By the point Akon bought his share in her profession again to Interscope in 2013, she had bought roughly 30 million albums and greater than 100 million singles worldwide.
In the course of the years Gaga was signed to Kon Reside, Akon’s earnings skyrocketed. Between 2008 and 2011, he earned $66 million — $12 million in 2008, $20 million in 2009, $21 million in 2010, and $13 million in 2011 — largely due to Gaga’s success. In whole, he has seemingly earned nicely over $100 million all through his music profession thus far.
Akon has additionally poured hundreds of thousands into varied ventures, together with his formidable however ill-fated Akon City project in Senegal. Nonetheless, after 20 years of chart-topping hits and manufacturing offers, few would doubt that Akon stays a really rich man.
At the very least, that is what his spouse thought — till, based on a viral rumor, she found he solely had $10,000 to his identify. Or so the web claims…
Akon and Tomeka Thiam (Photograph by Gilbert Flores/ Billboard through Getty Photos)
A Viral Twitter Rumor
Over the weekend, a rumor about Akon and his soon-to-be ex-wife Tomeka Thiam went extraordinarily viral. A whole bunch (most likely hundreds) of customers on TikTok and Twitter have repeated a headline that claims Akon’s spouse “simply” filed for divorce (she really filed in September 2025) and demanded €100 million in assist—solely to study he solely had $10,000. I do not know why all of them use Euros as a substitute of USD within the headline, most likely not a superb signal for the authenticity of this rumor. This is one model from Twitter that has practically 6 million views:
Akon’s spouse, Tomeka Thiam, filed a divorce to half methods after 29 years of marriage and demanded €100m as compensation.
The court docket dealing with the case solely discovered $10k in Akon’s account, because the singer’s wealth is sitting comfortably in his mom’s account. pic.twitter.com/1zEB4pPnNg
— Ọmọ Akin (@GuyMr0) October 12, 2025
“Pulling A Hakimi”
A second variation of the rumor claims Akon transferred all of his cash into his mom’s identify earlier than submitting for divorce, in a maneuver individuals on-line are calling “pulling a Hakimi.”
I needed to Google this.
Apparently, again in 2023, an unverified story went viral claiming that in Moroccan soccer participant Achraf Hakimi’s divorce, his actress spouse Hiba Abouk found that each one of his property had been legally held in his mom’s identify. Based on that viral declare, Hakimi’s spouse allegedly requested for half of his property, just for the court docket to disclose that he “owned nothing” as a result of his wage and property had been registered below his mom’s accounts. Social media customers turned the story right into a cautionary meme, celebrating it as a intelligent “monetary transfer” and dubbing it “pulling a Hakimi.” This is a model of the story that wracked up 23 million views:
Footballer Achraf hakimi’s spouse filed for divorce and demanded half of his property
Nonetheless , she was knowledgeable by the court docket that her ‘MILLIONAIRE’ husband owns nothing ,
As all his property is registered below his mom’s identify.
// Thread // pic.twitter.com/ISDiVw76t5
— ELITE MASCULINE (@MasculineM7) July 8, 2024
Nonetheless, that story was by no means confirmed true.
Main retailers together with BBC, Le Monde, and Reuters confirmed there was no court docket file or official proof that Hakimi’s property had been transferred to his mom. Hiba Abouk herself later clarified that whereas their separation was actual, the viral “mom’s identify” narrative was false and sexist, an entire invention by tabloids.
Truth Examine: Did Akon Pull a Hakimi?
If “pulling a Hakimi” means somebody made up a narrative to go viral on Twitter and TikTok, then YES, Akon pulled a Hakimi. If “pulling a Hakimi” means Akon put all of his cash in his mom’s identify earlier than submitting for divorce, no he didn’t try this. It is a fully pretend story, seemingly made up with the hope of going viral on Twitter and TikiTok to earn cash from the social media platforms’ engagement bonus packages.
The Backside Line
Akon’s spouse did file for divorce — that half is true. The whole lot else within the viral “€100 million and $10k” story is totally false. There is not any proof of a €100 million demand, and no indication his fortune vanished or was transferred into his mom’s identify. For what it is price, we estimate Akon’s net worth to be $50 million. Contemplating he was married to Tomeka for the final 29 years, beginning nicely earlier than he was well-known, it’s extremely seemingly she’ll get a big payout. When verified info is revealed by their divorce course of, which can take years to unfold, we’ll report the details, even when they’re extraordinarily boring won’t ever go viral.
The larger image drawback this story illustrates is what occurs when social media corporations (particularly TikTok and Twitter) provide packages the place customers can receives a commission for virality and engagement. That system breeds pretend information posts that go viral. It additionally breeds completely ineffective posts like this one the place some Twitter use shared a screenshot of Steve Jobs’ daughter that she posted of herself to her personal Instagram account, with the caption “Steve Jobs daughter btw”…
Steve Jobs daughter btw pic.twitter.com/RD9DgvKi66
— Zoomer (@zoomyzoomm) October 2, 2025
That dumb engagment bait submit was considered 130 million instances on Twitter. And as a reward for taking a screenshot of a 27 12 months outdated woman’s Instagram account, wish to know the way muc Twitter paid this consumer, @zoomyzoomm? $11,511
HOLY FUCK pic.twitter.com/OkKxuGHWad
— Zoomer (@zoomyzoomm) October 11, 2025
