Brian McKnight says he won millions in damages against his ex-wife, Julie McKnight.
On Thursday (Oct. 16), the singer took to his Instagram to announce he won $8.8 million in a defamation judgment that he filed in May against Julie. According to TMZ, McKnight was prematurely celebrating because Julie didn't appear in court. He subsequently filed a motion for default judgment and is now waiting for the court to confirm that he won.
"It’s been a long journey getting to this day: October 16th, 2025," Brian said in his IG video. "The verdict is in. We’ve been quiet, listening to liars continue to lie and keeping to ourselves, living and loving our life. As we said, leaving everything in God’s hands and letting our lawyer do the talking.
"But according to the courts, trying to ruin my name and trying to bring harm to my family in a book filled with lies equals $8.8 million dollars. And this is just the beginning. Because anyone and everyone that helped promote these lies will hear from my lawyer in the days to come. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. Now from my voicemail is the voice of a liar."
McKnight went on to share a voicemail, presumably from Julie, about their late son, Niko, who died in May from a two-year battle with cancer.
“Do not text Niko again, do not call Niko again," she allegedly says, before addressing McKnight’s current wife, Leilani.
"Leilani, if you are also checking these messages, that goes for you as well. I am very serious about this. I am very serious about this. Do not text him, period. Period. Please understand that. And Brian, you know me. You know me, and you know that I mean what I'm saying to you."
Back in May, McKnight took legal action against his ex-wife. In court documents obtained by Complex, he accused Julie of making “false statements” about him in her book, Mama Bear: Beautifully Blended.
“In the book, Ms. McKnight claims that she was emotionally abused and harassed by Mr. McKnight,” court documents read. “Additionally, Ms. McKnight claims that Mr. McKnight neglected the well-being of their minor children and that he was the sole reason as to why neither she nor their children were ever fully successful in the music industry.”
McKnight also called his ex’s allegations “false” and “a hoax to generate positive publicity for herself and her career,” and sought compensatory damages.
While McKnight claims he won $8.8 million in the case, there aren’t any court documents available to the public reflecting this information. A cursory glance at documents available on the Wake County, North Carolina court website shows that the last document in the case is dated Oct. 6.