R&B singer Toni Braxton had no choice but to file for bankruptcy because she refused to tell debt collectors she had lupus.
The singer's financial troubles first came to light in October (10) when she admitted to owing between $10 million (£6.25 million) and $50 million (£31.25 million) in unpaid debts after cancelling a series of Las Vegas shows due to heart problems.
However Braxton's woes grew more and more complicated after attempts to strike a deal with creditors failed because she didn't want to reveal she was struggling with a debilitating disorder.
During an appearance on U.S. TV's The Wendy Williams Show on Monday (11Apr11), she says, "When you file bankruptcy the bank can take everything... Before I filed... I tried to work out a deal with everyone. No one wanted to work out a deal. They said, 'It was 2008 when the market crashed, or whatever.' They were like, 'Oh, she can work.' But I didn't want to tell people I had lupus."
However, the Un-break My Heart hitmaker, who publicly announced her battle with the auto immune condition in November (10), assures fans she's getting back on her feet and now owes the U.S. tax authorities $500,000 (£312,500).
She says, "What happened was, the first one was a business bankruptcy. But, because I secured everything personally, I had to file. People don't understand the bankruptcy is for protection."