DeAnna Pappas appeared on two Bachelor Nation reality shows trying to find a husband. She was on Season 11 of The Bachelor. She thought she found her match in Chris Soules, but he didn’t agree. In a shocking twist, he sent the final two women, DeAnna and Jenni Croft, home and left the show single. Chris Soules returned to The Bachelor for Season 19. He proposed to Whitney Bischoff, but they split a few months later. He’s still single.
As for DeAnna, she shook off the heartbreak and became The Bachelorette for Season 4. She chose Jesse Csincsak over Jason Mesnick, but her engagement to Jesse didn’t last. But in a surprising twist, she did find love with someone connected to Bachelor Nation.
She met her future husband, Stephen Stagliano, through his brother, Michael. Michael was a contestant on Jillian Harris’ season of The Bachelorette and won Season 2 of Bachelor Pad. DeAnna Pappas and Stephen Stagliano married in 2011. They welcomed a daughter in 2014 and a son in 2016.
She filed for divorce in 2023, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The former couple reached a divorce settlement in 2024, which included a custody agreement for their kids. An unexpected condition was added to the custody agreement. Neither parent was allowed to drink or do drugs while the kids were in their care.
Despite settling custody last year, the former couple is locked in a new custody battle over child support amid an alleged alcohol problem.
DeAnna Pappas Claims Ex Is Thousands Behind In Child Support
Stephen Stagliano recently took his ex back to court over the custody agreement. He asked the court to lower the $2,500 a month he pays DeAnna Pappas in child support. He argued that he left his high-paying job as CEO of a gaming company and hasn’t been able to find a full-time job and drives for Uber for cash.
Court documents revealed that DeAnna Pappas earns a little over $13,000 a month as a flight attendant. She claimed that her ex is thousands behind in child support payments because he doesn’t have a steady income.
According to DeAnna Pappas, her ex-husband is behind a whopping $23,000 in child support. She is fighting against his attempt to reduce his monthly child support payment.
He Claims She Drinks Around Their Kids
Stephen Stagliano wrote in court documents that one reason he can’t find a steady job is because of his ex-wife’s drinking. She denied having a drinking problem at the time but later admitted that she broke the previous custody agreement and drank around the kids. But she claims that she’s sober now.
DeAnna Pappas was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in February. Her ex claimed that she was drunk and assaulted him during a custody exchange. However, the charges were later dropped.
In his court documents, he said that the kids live with him full-time because of DeAnna Pappas’ alleged drinking problem.
Bachelorette Alum Blames Him For Alcohol Problem
Stephen Stagliano told the court that his ex-wife’s drinking has been a problem since 2019. However, she denied that. She said that the drinking became worse recently because of her ex.
“My misuse of alcohol did not begin until 2021 after years of relational trauma and [alleged abuse] by Stagliano,” she wrote in a court filing. She alleged the abuse earlier this year when she sought a restraining order against him. She later dropped the request for the restraining order, but still maintains he was abusive during their marriage.
DeAnna Pappas also told the court that her ex refuses to submit a drug test of his own, per their agreement. Furthermore, she said that the child support shouldn’t be lowered because he willingly quit his high-paying job.
The court has yet to rule on the latest custody battle. Do you think DeAnna Pappas has a bigger problem with alcohol than she’s admitting? Sound off in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
