by Isi Esene

According to a report by Black Like Moi, Oprah’s father and her step-mother are in the middle of a messy divorce. It’s a tale of guns, adultery, death threats, a barbershop, and money power.

Very few people knew who Vernon Winfrey was until Oprah, his famous daughter offered to buy his struggling barbershop out of foreclosure. The searchlight directed to him have however unraveled some dirt as he is being accused by his wife, Barbara, of being a serial cheater who threatened to kill her.  She also says Vernon has consistently worked to get her kicked out of the house.

Oprah bought Vernon’s barbershop out of foreclosure for $475,000 and he lives with Barbara in a $1.5m home which was also bought in Oprah’s name. Oprah, however, cut Barbara, her stepmother out of the barbershop business after paying to forestall foreclosure.

According to The Tennessean, Barbara said Vernon “became angered at her, chased her with a gun and threatened to shoot her.” She also claims to have been cheated on by her husband a couple of times. She is his third wife and they have recently filed for divorce.

Barbara is accusing Oprah of controlling her dad and not having the interest of the community which they live at heart.

She said, “He believes what he’s told. His daughter doesn’t care about the community. His daughter doesn’t care about the barbershop. But I do.”

Giving his side of the story, Vernon Winfrey said, “My wife and I have not been getting along well, and I did not want to endow myself to another drawn-out, struggling debt.”

Vernon is a former city councilman in the city of Nashville.  He has run the barbershop on the east side of the town for 50 years.

Money doesn’t guarantee happiness after-all.