The power of purpose: lionell “tj” tillman
Lionell Tillman, better known as TJ, and now to many others as “the Child Support is Fraud guy,” is currently building an empire on the foundation of something that was once his detriment. Within the last year, the fruits of his labor have catapulted him into being the financial savior to thousands across the United States cornered by one of the biggest dualities of our government's system; child support. For those of you meeting TJ for the first time; let me introduce you to someone I have followed for almost 15 years, and witnessed him turn his trials into triumphs. After sitting down with him, not only did I find out he was first put on child support at the tender age of 12, but how he ultimately won his case; claiming the very risky accusation of his child support case being fraud. His journey to his current success was not a quick trip. He had to take a much more scenic route and the views were not so pretty. However, before I have the pleasure of inspiring you with his story, I want to walk you through TJ’s journey and how his adverse experiences are yet another testament to your purpose always being bigger than your problems.
TJ’s upbringing was very similar to many other black men raised in South Central, Los Angeles in the 80s. He was raised by his mother and grandmother in the infamous Compton, California after losing his father to Leukemia at the age of seven. Being what he calls a product of his environment, he recalled witnessing a friend get murdered, being shot at five times, and losing at least one friend or family member to gun violence for six consecutive years before he turned 18. Sports, music, and hustling were the only ways known to make a significant financial impact where he was from; choosing the latter was his ultimate choice. He credits hustling for teaching him not to handle losses emotionally and his mother and grandmother for the man he grew to become today. Although they did not condone how he made his money, the bills were paid. Unfortunately, the risks were much more costly than he would have liked them to be. Two weeks before he decided he needed to make an honest living, two law enforcement encounters led to him making his final decision. Both officers, on two separate occasions, warned him he was known for being #3 on their “take down” list in the neighborhood and it was only a matter of time before he was #1. However, it wasn’t until he began applying for jobs that his background checks foreshadowed the money he would lose working legally that he could have avoided losing working unlawfully under the radar.
STORYTIME
2003 when TJ began working, he found out he had an open child support case. It wasn’t until he was on a company’s payroll that he knew he had backpay in child support that began accruing seven years ago in 1996. He demanded a DNA test to prove this was a mistake but was informed by child support and the court that his response was untimely and his request was denied. He was advised that child support could garnish his wages, and if not addressed, would revoke his driver’s license. He knew he had no children, but would have to make a payment arrangement with the child support office to keep his job and his license in good standing; while simultaneously trying to clear up this misunderstanding. He had been on child support since the age of 12 for a child whose mother he never had sex with!
TJ shared a story with me that at the age of 12, before he knew what sex consisted of, he had “physical interaction” with a young lady who he found out was pregnant about 6 months later. Because of how he recalled his encounter or lack thereof, he passed the news about her baby off as neighborhood gossip and thought nothing nor was told anything else about it. However, what he did not know was when she had the baby and applied for government assistance, his name is who she would list as the 12-year-old father of her child. In 2005 TJ welcomed his first biological child and her mother also applied for government assistance. Child Support then merged these two cases, increasing the amount he owed. For the next six years, he was at the will of child support because they had his livelihood in the palm of their hands.
Despite the payment arrangement he had in place, in 2011, TJ was detained for driving with a suspended license and spent 30 days in a Los Angeles County Correctional Facility. At his hearing, the judge threatened to keep him for a minimum of 180 days if he returned for the same offense. By this time, he had full custody of his biological child but continued to be responsible for the payment of both children. He was informed he became the legal father at 12 years old of a child whose birth certificate he never signed nor was notified that he was legally and financially responsible for. Later proving on his own that he was not the father, he called to contest the allegations after also providing proof that his signature was never received on the documents that claimed he was officially served. Presenting these facts, he thought he would finally get justice. Regrettably, he was already actively participating in repayment; contractually volunteering himself to participate in the repayment program to keep his license valid. Like millions of people across the country fighting this uphill child support battle, he was led to believe there was absolutely nothing he could do but pay to keep his job and stay out of jail. For the next five years, his driver’s license was suspended despite the payment arrangement he made with the child support office; resulting in him paying additional money to keep his driver’s license in good standing. He felt defeated. The streets were where he learned that you cannot cry over spilled milk, but what he did not know is that these trials were preparing him for a purposeful future he could have never imagined.
In 2016, TJ married his now-wife of 8 years and paid for their honeymoon that was set to take place out of the country. Little did they know, that due to the burden known as child support, the newlywed husband was unable to attain his passport let alone leave the United States. The reality of the government wanting him to work to pay the debts, but restrict him from so many liberties was enough. Adamant about not missing his honeymoon, he started to question what else was required to open a child support case. He began to study the history and legal process; even finding out each state gets incentivized based on their performance to collect child support payments, and funds are deposited into an “incentive pool” where they can use the money as they see fit to improve the program. In short, the states get a commission for keeping people on child support!
Now that he was familiarized with the history, laws, and processes of a child support case from start to finish; as an active and present father, he was ready to take on the judicial system with his knowledge, proof of unethical practices, and ultimate goal of physical and financial freedom. If any of you have ever read any court documents or legal verbiage, it is not easy to read and/or understand. Nonetheless, he did his due diligence to walk out of that courtroom as the successor and with an unexpected calling to spread the word to his fellow captives. He also walked away enlightened about a few other facts about child support he believes every participant should be aware of:
Not being the biological father had nothing to do with the case being dismissed. The case was dismissed because child support failed to follow its procedures to establish its case lawfully.
Being deemed the “legal father” holds the same responsibility and obligations as a biological father in a child support hearing.
No matter what the individual details are in a child support case, legally the case has to be opened the same way in every state.
This rollercoaster of a journey led him to accomplish something that would change many lives, not just his own. While still on an unthinkable high, TJ wrote his book How I Stopped Child Support Legally, explaining the process, in just a week. Almost a year after the release of his first book, his instinct led him to reluctantly fly to attend a conference in Miami alone after all his friends declined to go with him. At this same conference, he invested in himself and secured the opportunity to participate in a paid mentorship program. He met his now mentor who has assisted in opening doors to rooms he’d never thought he’d be in. Today, TJ teaches Masterclasses and travels the country educating others about a topic that had the ability to keep him caged and silenced because he bet on himself. He remains an active and present husband and father for not one but three beautiful children and has never once pushed the initiative to be a willful absent parent while fighting against child support as a “get-out-of-jail-free” card. TJ’s story is a true testament to how your trials will lead you to triumph if you do not give up on yourself. Life can feel defeating but I hope his story will inspire you to know the power of your purpose and how it will always and forever be bigger than your problems.
