The Untold Truth Of Aretha Franklin

For all of her cash, Aretha Franklin allegedly had a habit of not paying her bills. In October 2015, The Detroit Free Press reported that she was being sued over a condo she owned in Michigan. Franklin reportedly owed more than $11,500 to her gated community's association, which then tried foreclosing on her $700,000 condominium.

For all of her cash, Aretha Franklin allegedly had a habit of not paying her bills. In October 2015, The Detroit Free Press reported that she was being sued over a condo she owned in Michigan. Franklin reportedly owed more than $11,500 to her gated community's association, which then tried foreclosing on her $700,000 condominium.

It was not the first time she'd been sued for alleged nonpayment. In 1999, The Detroit Free Press (via Jet magazine) reported that Franklin was deeply in debt, with more than 30 lawsuits filed against her totaling nearly $1.2 million. She paid some of her creditors and settled with others, but she allegedly ignored some court judgments, leading creditors to attempt to obtain liens on her properties. However, the paper did note that most of Franklin's debts were eventually paid.

Franklin released a statement in '99 saying that the story in The Detroit Free Press was a "malicious and vicious attempt to discredit [her]," but she also added, "I take responsibility for the handful of suits for a small fraction out of the 99.9 percent of people who are paid responsibly and in a timely way."

Judge Harvey Tennen, who used to represent Franklin, said she had trouble managing her own finances and should have had a team doing so for her, but he said he understood why she didn't. "People have taken advantage of her her whole life," he said.

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