“The Truth” might have to hold back on the truth bombs a bit. Paul Pierce appears to have revealed that he earned a sizable income from his side gigs despite losing his jobs at FS1 and ESPN in recent years. That has prompted the alleged mother of one of his children to demand a bump in child support payments.
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Princess Santiago, an event director from Los Angeles, filed a paternity lawsuit against Pierce in January. According to TMZ, her demands include $29,811 in monthly child support and $100,000 in legal fees. In addition, the filing is requesting $18,846 to reimburse 50% of the “reasonable expenses” related to her pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care. The Celtics legend is being asked for a total of almost $149,000, or $148,657 to be exact.
The lawsuit initially surfaced in January, shortly before Santiago gave birth to her son, King. She is requesting genetic testing to confirm paternity. She’s also seeking sole physical and legal custody. Santiago claims that she filed the lawsuit after multiple failed attempts behind the scenes.
“I filed for paternity papers after multiple attempts to resolve this privately,” Santiago said in a statement to TMZ. “Paul Pierce is the father of my son, King, and I am simply asking for a paternity test so the truth can be confirmed. This isn’t about drama or attention, it’s about accountability and doing what’s right for my child.”
Woman Asks Paul Pierce For Hefty Monthly Child Support Amid Paternity Lawsuit | Click to read more 👇 tmz.me/pfMygmP
Contrary to his immediate posts after Pierce was arrested in October 2025 and after he was laid off by Fox Sports 1 in July 2025, Pierce has not spoken about the paternity lawsuit. Not to the media, not to Santiago. Strikingly, the Celtics legend’s own public admissions form the basis of Santiago’s lawsuit. But he’s so far remained mum on the situation.
How Paul Pierce’s public statements are connected to a paternity lawsuit
In the documents, Princess Santiago cites Paul Pierce’s diverse earnings as the basis for the six-figure demand. She refers to his NBA career from 1998 to 2017 and says he earned “approximately $195 million to $203 million in total NBA salary.”
Santiago also cites his remarks, likely from the recent Club Shay Shay interview. She cites a remark by Pierce about making “enough money from endorsements that he did not have to use his NBA salary to pay his expenses or generous expenditures on his family, romantic partners, and family.”
Pierce has three kids: Prianna, Adrian, and Prince with ex-wife Julie Landrum. His kids occasionally appear on his social media, and he often talks about them. As of this week, Pierce has not issued an official statement regarding the suspected $149,000 legal hit or the ongoing custody battle.
