Chanel Maya Banks, a 36-year-old actress known for her role in Gossip Girl, has filed a restraining order against her mother and cousin. Banks claimed in court documents that her mother and cousin have harassed her and spread lies to ruin her credibility and acting career. She also alleged that they fabricated a story claiming her husband had murdered her. Additionally, Banks accused her mother and cousin of burglarizing her apartment and assaulting her husband, causing visible injuries on his face and neck.
Banks’ cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh, had filed a missing person’s report in November after not hearing from Banks for five days. Singh expressed concern, stating that Banks is usually in regular contact with her and her mother. However, the Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed that Banks had been found safe. Banks then released a statement, denying she was missing and claiming she had been enduring abuse at the hands of her family for her entire life.
In her statement, Banks revealed that she had been silently suffering from abuse, manipulation, and torment from her family since she was a baby. She accused her family of controlling every aspect of her life, giving her no authority over her own decisions. Banks claimed that her family would falsify government documents to depict her as mentally unstable whenever she tried to leave. She emphasized that she has no mental health issues aside from occasional parking tickets.
Banks explained that she has not been in contact with her relatives for a long time and that they have been controlling her life and decisions. She also stated that she has met with the police and verified that she is safe and free from her family’s control. Banks expressed relief at finally being able to speak out about her experiences and the abuse she had endured for years.
The actress also mentioned in her statement that her family members had worked together to create a false narrative about her disappearance, which led to the missing person’s report being filed. Banks accused her mother and cousin of orchestrating this scheme to publicly humiliate her and damage her professional acting career. The restraining order was requested to protect Banks from further harassment and false accusations from her family members.
