NGL linebacker-turned-attorney, Mel Owens, has been making headlines for a long time now. He made headlines with his participation in a reality TV show. He immediately sparked debate before the cameras even started rolling for saying he won’t date women older than 60. However, did you know that before he entered the reality TV world with the Golden Bachelors, he was married for over 20 years to Fabiana Pimentel Owens? The 66-year-old’s divorce after such a long time came as a shock to the entire family.

His statement sparked an online debate, with people questioning his stance, even though he told the host he was just looking for someone who was ‘honest, charming, loving, fit and full of life’. Did you know that his ex-wife and first love, Fabiana Pimentel, had seemingly predicted that it was a bad idea for Owens to participate in the show? So, as Mel Owens continues his journey in the show, let us take a look at everything there is to know about his ex-wife, Fabiana.

Fabiana Pimentel and Mel Owens have an 18-year age gap

Before Mel Owens stepped into the limelight with Golden Bachelor, he was married to Fabiana Pimentel for over two decades. The duo got married in 2002 when she was 23 years old and Owens was 43. They slowly built a life in California, raising two sons, Lucas and Andre, who are 20 and 18 years old, respectively. However, their marital bliss faded after almost two decades, and Pimentel filed for divorce in February 2020, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their separation.

Mel Owens owed nearly USD 1 million to his ex-wife, Fabiana Pimentel

According to reports, Mel Owens and Fabiana Pimentel’s divorce was not as clean as the former NFL star has portrayed it to be. Before joining the cast of Golden Bachelors, he seemed to have failed to mention that he was in a legal battle with his ex-wife, owing her nearly USD 1 million and at risk of losing his home. The couple’s former home, which is now occupied by Mel, is located in Aliso Viejo, California, and was purchased in 2008 for USD 840,000.

 

The couple’s shared home, a five-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a pool in the backyard and a built-in barbecue, is now estimated to be worth over USD 2 million. Mel Owens was ordered by the court to pay Fabiana Pimentel an equalisation payment of USD 980,000 on or before February 28, 2025. For the unversed, the court has ordered Owens to pay nearly USD 1 million to cover unpaid child and spousal support, property division and attorney’s fees.

Despite his claims of earning just USD 1,000 per month, Owens retained assets totalling over USD 2.75 million, including the couple’s Orange County home valued at more than USD 2 million. According to Pimentel’s court filing in September 2025, Ownes seemed to have failed to pay the full amount and had only paid USD 40,000. As for their divorce, according to court documents, it was not finalised until December 2024. The couple had been in a legal battle for nearly five years now, as Pimentel filed for divorce in 2020.