Ryan Lochte used to be one of the most famous and decorated swimmers in the world. He’s a four-time Olympian and he won twelve Olympic medals during his career, as well as an array of national and international championships. Lochte was always known as an airhead, but the incident at the Rio Olympics really changed the course of his life and significantly altered his career. Afterwards, he continued to be a pro swimmer, up until his 2018 suspension for receiving an intravenous vitamin infusion (he posted it on his social media too, in typical Lochte fashion). He still tried to qualify for the Olympic team for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but fell short. That was pretty much the end of his career. Lochte married Kayla Reid in 2018 and they quickly welcomed three children. Well, now Kayla is filing for divorce and we’re learning that they were buried in debt.

Ryan Lochte and his estranged wife, Kayla Reid, have garnered nearly $270,000 in debt amid their divorce. The 12-time Olympic medalist and the real estate agent are subject to paying $99,696 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to court documents obtained by Page Six. The exes also received a $2,231.76 lien from the Fletcher Park Owners’ Association in December 2024, where they live in Gainesville, Fla., due to “unpaid” costs, “late fees” and “attorney fees,” per a filing obtained by Us Weekly.

The exes also owe $127,977.73 to the Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinic, which is where Lochte, 40, may have been treated when he got into his car accident in November 2023. The hospital filed a separate lien, stating that $39,720.15 was owed after a visit in February 2024. Reps for Lochte weren’t immediately available to Page Six for comment.

Reid, 33, announced that she and Lochte were parting ways after seven years of marriage on Wednesday.

“I made the hard decision to end my marriage after deep prayer and reflection,” she said in a statement. “I hold marriage in the highest regard, so this has been one of the most painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life. Sometimes we face trials we didn’t choose or see coming. And in those moments, we’re forced to make the hardest decisions to protect our peace, our children, and our future.”

Reid explained that she’s learned “staying isn’t always the most loving decision someone can make,” adding, “For me, leaving was an act of love — for those around me and for myself.” Court documents obtained by Page Six revealed that Reid filed for divorce on March 26.
Lochte, meanwhile, released a statement on Instagram, saying he was “deeply grateful for the life we’ve built together and especially for the love we share for our three children.”

[From Page Six]

Most Olympians make their money from sponsorships, and while Michael Phelps definitely got the most lucrative sponsorships out of all of the swimmers, Lochte made some real money in his heyday – he had some big sponsors, he became a sort of reality star, and he got several big television gigs in the 2010s. He lost most of his sponsors after Rio though… so what has he been living on? Has Kayla been supporting the family? That might explain why she’s the one to file for divorce. Plus, I bet Ryan just… didn’t save anything from his heyday. Bad money management, poor decision-making and a big, ugly financial mess.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.