Fabiana Pimentel, known publicly as Fabiana Pimentel Owens, became a name people started searching for the moment ABC announced Mel Owens as the second Golden Bachelor. She’s not a contestant and she’s not chasing a rose. She’s the woman who spent close to two decades married to him before their split made headlines of its own.
If you’ve landed here wondering who she is, what she does, how old she is, or what actually happened in that divorce, here’s what’s been reported, with sources, and what’s still unclear.
Who Is Fabiana Pimentel Owens
Fabiana Pimentel was born in 1978 in Brazil and moved to the United States, where she has lived for over 24 years. She’s originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She and Mel Owens tied the knot on 17 May 2002 in Laguna Niguel, when Mel was 43 and Fabiana was 24.
That’s a real age gap, and one Mel himself has confirmed in interviews. Court documents obtained by Us Weekly show Owens is 19 years older than Pimentel.
Fabiana Pimentel Owens Age
So how old is Fabiana Pimentel Owens now? As of September 2025, when Mel was 66, Fabiana was reported to be 47 years old. Different outlets have run slightly different birth year estimates, and that’s worth being upfront about. Most reporting lands on her being born around 1978, which tracks with the 47 figure reported when Golden Bachelor Season 2 premiered. Take the exact birth date with a grain of salt since it hasn’t been confirmed by Fabiana herself in any public statement.
Her Career: From Marketing to Feng Shui
People searching “Fabiana Pimentel Owens” are often surprised by how much she’s built outside of the Mel Owens connection.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she’s worked as the director of Experiences at Preferred Hotels & Resorts since May 2023, based out of Corona del Mar, California. Before that, she spent over four years on the marketing team at Varig Airlines, from 1998 to 2002, and worked as an assistant manager at NBO Law, the firm Mel founded, between 2007 and 2016.
In between those roles, she branched out on her own. She co-founded Final Touch Organizing, a home organization company, with fellow Brazilian entrepreneur Karine Schaefer. The business leans into Feng Shui principles rather than your typical declutter-and-donate approach. In a 2021 interview with Shout Out SoCal, Fabiana explained, “We take a holistic approach in our business, and that set us apart.” She’s also described herself as a Reiki and ThetaHealing practitioner, and her now-private Instagram bio used to list baseball, travel, crystals, art, photography, and holistic healing among her interests.
The Marriage and the Divorce, Explained
Mel and Fabiana were married for nearly two decades, raising two sons together, Lucas, born in 2005, and Andre, born in 2007.
Fabiana filed for divorce in February 2020, citing irreconcilable differences, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly. What followed wasn’t quick. The divorce wasn’t finalized until December 2024, after a nearly five-year legal battle.
The financial side got messy too. The court ordered Owens to pay nearly $1 million to cover unpaid child and spousal support, property division, and attorney’s fees. Reporting from Us Weekly put that settlement specifically at $980,000, covering everything from back support payments to a share of community property and Fabiana’s legal fees. Despite claiming he was earning just $1,000 per month, Owens retained assets totaling over $2.75 million, including the couple’s Orange County home, valued at more than $2 million, which he was allowed to keep in the settlement.
By Mel’s own account, the marriage ended because Fabiana moved on. In a September 2025 interview with Us Weekly, Mel said the reason for their divorce was that she had fallen in love with someone else. He’s said he’s not bitter about it. “I’m never going to get in the way of someone’s happiness,” he told the outlet, adding that he focused on his sons during that period rather than dwelling on the split.
What Fabiana Has Said About The Golden Bachelor
Fabiana hasn’t exactly cheered Mel on from the sidelines. When Daily Mail reached out for comment on his casting, her response was short and pointed. “Good luck. I mean, it’s going to be bad. But anyway, I don’t want to be involved in this,” she told the outlet.
She’s stayed away from the show and the press tour since. No interviews diving into her side of the marriage, no social media commentary beyond that one line. Her Instagram, once public, is now locked down.
Are Mel and Fabiana Still in Contact?
They co-parent their two sons, now adults, and Mel has spoken warmly about both of them on the show. Owens revealed that his youngest son was actually the one who suggested he apply to be the Bachelor, after seeing a casting ad for the second Golden Bachelor season. Beyond that shared parenting connection, there’s no public indication the two are close.
FAQ
How old is Fabiana Pimentel Owens?
She was reported to be 47 as of September 2025, based on court documents showing she’s 19 years younger than Mel Owens, who turned 66 that year.
Is Fabiana Pimentel Owens remarried?
There’s no public confirmation of a remarriage as of this writing. Mel has said she moved on to a new relationship before the divorce was finalized, but her current relationship status isn’t publicly documented.
What does Fabiana Pimentel Owens do for work?
She’s the Director of Experiences at Preferred Hotels & Resorts and co-founder of Final Touch Organizing, a home organization business.
Did Fabiana Pimentel Owens appear on The Golden Bachelor?
No. She’s not part of the cast and has said publicly she doesn’t want to be involved in the show.
If you’re following Mel Owens’ Golden Bachelor run and wondering how his past shaped what you’re seeing on screen, Fabiana Pimentel Owens’ story gives real context, a long marriage, two kids, a drawn out divorce, and a clean break she clearly intends to keep.
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