Karla Knafel is an American cocktail lounge singer, model, and actress who is in the spotlight for her alleged affair with the legendary basketball player, Micheal Jordan. The pair whose relationship survived from 1989 to 1991 ended in a legal tussle that revolved around an unfinished deal, secrecy, and her child’s paternity.
While you would soon learn more about Karla, her ex-lover Micheal Jordan needs no introduction. He is a 14-time NBA All-Star whose name has been captured in the sands of time as a basketball icon with many achievements to show for it. To date, he remains one of the richest athletes in the world and has been named the NBA GOAT.
Karla Knafel is from a Large Family
Karla Knafel was born sometime in 1963 to her parents Mr. and Mrs. Terry Knafel. The 62 years old grew up in Syracuse, Indiana alongside her brother and 6 sisters. Although information about her early life is limited, we garnered that she grew up in a very religious family and her parents were strict.
Her father was a minister in a local church and her mother was a worker. Following the rules her parents asserted, Karla left home while in high school and moved in with a guidance counselor.
After her graduation from Wawasee Highschool in Syracuse, Indiana in 1981, she started fending for herself.
She had a Brief Career as a Model, Singer, and Actress
Though Karla remains in the shadows of her ex-lover Jordan, she briefly dabbled into the entertainment industry as a model, singer, and actress.
Her passion for modeling was ignited while working as a beauty stylist after graduating from high school. She earned several gigs and became known as the Quen of the Lakes after her appearance in a local beauty pageant in 1983.
Moving on, the model switched to music and relocated to Indianapolis to pursue her musical career. Karla started off with a band and is said to have recorded a few songs even though she wasn’t consistent with the band.
Karla is mostly associated with her career as an actress and has one movie credit. She appeared in a minor role in the 1991 movie Bikini Island.
Karla’s Relationship with Micheal Jordan Brought her to Stardom
Karla was just another American woman until her relationship with Micheal Jordan surfaced. As the story goes, the pair got into a secret affair 3 months after his wedding to Juanita Vanoy; his first wife. The relationship between them is said to have lasted from 1989 to 1991 before controversies began to sprout.
What was thought to be a secret affair gained public interest after Karla reportedly claimed that Jordan failed to honor his promise to pay $5 million to keep their relationship as well as their child a secret. Needless to say, Karla revealed that Jordan was the father of her child.
The issue survived a few years before a legal battle between them started in the early 2000s. It’s on records that Jordan Sued his ex Karla for trying to extort money from him. In turn, she argued that he denied being the father of her child and the tussle was on until facts emerged.
In Jordan’s favor, the Cook County Circuit Court judge, Stuart E. Palmer ruled out the claims made by Karla as DNA results prove otherwise. Claims that she had initially received $250,000 from the former basketball player were also questioned.
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The Former Model is the Mother of Three
Asides from Karla’s relationship with Micheal Jordan, she has been into other affairs and has 3 children. Interestingly, the men in her life are athletes which brings the conclusion that Karla has a thing for sportsmen.
Her first child, Arielle Knafel who was alleged to be Jordan’s daughter turned out to be the daughter of retired baseball player C.L Penigar as per sources.
Karla’s second child Trayce Jackson-Davis is a product of her relationship with Dale Davis, a former Portland Trail Blazer player.
At present, Karla is married to Ray Jackson; the former NFL player and they share a son named Trayce Jackson-Davis together.
Karla Knafel has been Involved in Several Controversies
Although Jordan’s ex-girlfriend is mostly linked to her affair and legal tussle with the former basketball player, she has been involved in other controversies.
Karla first sued her plastic surgeon, dr. Pio Venezuela in 1993 for inappropriately touching her body while examining her. She also claimed that their conversation made her uncomfortable. To bury the case, the surgeon settled for $10,000 even though he considered her claims outrageous.
In 1997, Karla accused a nightclub parking attendant of touching her br**st in an inappropriate manner at the Century Club in Los Angeles. Though the case made it to the court, it was later dismissed and the conclusions were not made known to the media.
Apparently, Karla’s controversial relationship with Micheal Jordan is what places her in the limelight. Though the mother of three is currently married to Ray Jackson, she remains trapped in the shadows of affairs with the basketball player. Also, she makes the list of women like Karan Sala, Elizabeth Hurley, and Kali Bowyer who have dragged celebrities to court over paternity issues.
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