Ryan Lochte Swimming In Debt Amid Divorce Battle With Playboy Model Wife

ByBrian Warneron June 6, 2025inArticles›Entertainment

Ryan Lochte is one of the most decorated Olympians of all time. His 12 total medals (including six Gold) make him the fourth-winningest American Olympian of all time, behind only Jenny Thompson, Katie Ledecky , and Michael Phelps (all of whom are also swimmers).

Unfortunately, Ryan’s life outside of the pool has not gone so swimmingly. His reality show, which The A.V. Club described as a " crushing commercial and creative failure ," was canceled after five weeks and only eight episodes. He had a series of high-profile missteps, including a suspension for his role in the infamous gas station incident at the 2016 Rio Olympics, a doping ban in 2018, and by 2019 he claimed to be living paycheck-to-paycheck with just $20,000 to his name. And, most recently, a divorce and some embarrassing financial revelations.

Ryan Lochte Swimming In Debt Amid Divorce Battle With Playboy Model Wife - 1

(Via Getty)

Were there other photos of Ryan and his soon-to-be ex-wife Kayla (girl in center) on Getty Images? Yes. But how could I not use this one?

From Playmate to Plaintiff

In 2016, at the height of his post-Olympic fame, Lochte met model and former Playboy Playmate Kayla Rae Reid. The couple got engaged later that year and were married in January 2018. Over the next few years, they welcomed three children: Caiden Zane, Liv Rae, and Georgia June.

But in March 2025, Kayla filed for divorce in Florida, citing that the marriage was “irretrievably broken.” In her petition, she requested majority custody of the kids, arguing that equal time-sharing with Lochte would be detrimental. She also asked for financial support to help with education and job retraining, stating that her income was insufficient to provide for the children on her own.

Lochte pushed back in his April response filing, denying several of Kayla’s claims, including that she should have sole parental responsibility. He also opposed her request to remain in the marital home, a property the couple purchased in 2021 for nearly $548,000 in Gainesville, Florida. Lochte has since moved out and is renting a home in nearby Newberry for $3,000 a month.

Swimming In Debt

As the divorce proceedings unfolded, so did a series of financial disclosures that painted a concerning picture.

According to court records dug up by the Daily Mail , Ryan and Kayla are apparently carrying nearly $270,000 in outstanding debts. That includes a federal tax lien filed in November 2024 for $99,696.09, stemming from unpaid income taxes for 2021 and 2022. In addition to the IRS, the couple is also on the hook for substantial medical bills. Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics filed two separate liens totaling over $167,000 for “care, treatment, and maintenance” provided to Lochte in recent years.

There’s more. In December 2024, the City of Gainesville apparently filed a $2,231 lien against the couple’s marital home. And based on filings in the divorce case, both parties are now disputing ownership and usage rights for that house, with Kayla requesting exclusive use for herself and their children, and Lochte contesting that claim.

It’s not just debts and property they’re clashing over. In her petition, Kayla asked that Lochte be required to pay her attorney’s fees in the event he engages in what she called “frivolous or vexatious litigation.” Lochte, in turn, objected to her legal arrangement with their shared law firm and challenged whether she should retain full ownership of assets held in a trust in his name.

Adding to the financial strain was a 2023 car accident that resulted in Lochte being cited for careless driving. According to police reports, a garbage truck stopped suddenly in front of him, and Lochte’s 2022 Ford F-150 slammed into the back of it. A judge ultimately found him at fault, ordering him to pay a fine and attend driving school.

Ryan Lochte once swam laps around the competition. Now it seems like he’s just trying to stay afloat.

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