Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Widow Reveals $700K Mortgage Debt

Malcolm-Jamal Warner‘s widow, Tenisha Warner, claimed she is at “risk” of losing her Georgia home due to mounting debt.

According to court documents obtained by Us on Wednesday, September 9, Tenisha, 48, revealed that the home she and daughter MacKenzie, 9, has a “significant mortgage of approximately $700,000 in debt” following Malcolm’s death last year.

“Without adequate funding, Tenisha and MacKenzie risk losing their Georgia home,” the docs read.

Tenisha alleged her mother-in-law, Pamela Warner, “relies on what she calls ‘a separate trust in Georgia (the Grace Holdings Trust) wherein Malcolm purchased a residence for his wife, Tenisha and his daughter,’ as if Malcolm, Tenisha, and MacKenzie did not live in that Georgia home together as a family while he was alive.” She insisted the Georgia home is the “sole asset” of that alleged trust.

Tenisha also claimed that her mother-in-law sold the California home that Malcolm intended to leave her. (Pamela was named the successor trustee of Malcolm-Jamal’s Warner Family Trust.)

“Malcolm intended to leave his family’s California home to Tenisha and MacKenzie, but instead, Pamela sold the home and converted it to cash now held by the 1996 Trust,” the docs alleged. “This is the home where MacKenzie, Tenisha, and Malcolm first lived and where MacKenzie developed the core memories of her father.”

Tenisha claimed that she and MacKenzie can’t fathom not having the Georgia house “after already losing their California home.”

Tenisha also alleged that she “was instructed to stop submitting household bills for payment, and no further funds were made available for the family’s support” after Pamela “sought appointment as executor of Malcolm’s estate.”

“Tenisha sacrificed her career to raise and homeschool their daughter, MacKenzie, and support Malcolm’s career, leaving the family dependent on Malcolm’s income and assets,” the docs read. “The sudden termination of that support left Tenisha, while grieving her husband, solely responsible for the family’s mortgage, utilities, taxes, insurance, medical expenses, food, transportation, and their daughter’s education and activities.”

Us had reached out to Tenisha and Pamela’s lawyers for comment.

The former Cosby Show actor died in July 2025 after an accidental drowning while on vacation with his wife and daughter in Costa Rica. He was 54.

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Earlier this year, Tenisha filed a lawsuit against Pamela claiming that she was entitled to $1.2 million, which was the alleged equivalent of what her late husband promised her as part of their premarital agreement. TMZ reported in August that Pamela reached a settlement with her granddaughter’s representatives, stating that the agreement “provides for Malcolm’s daughter to receive the majority remainder of the Trust and Estate.”

Last month, Tenisha honored Malcolm on what would have been his 56th birthday.

“Every year we spent his birthday at home, just the three of us,” Tenisha wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of her and MacKenzie standing in a room filled with stuffed animals and a “happy birthday” banner on the wall. “He always said that was all he needed because it brought him the most joy to begin every new year of his life with us. The only other guests were our daughter’s dolls and stuffed animals. Every single one was lined up in the dining room to celebrate with him.”

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