Why Debbie Rowe Blames Ex Michael Jackson For Almost Driving Her To Bankruptcy

Debbie Rowe memorably went to bat for her ex-husband Michael Jackson on more than one occasion, but that's not to say they were always on great terms. In fact, some may even recall that in 2006, she sued the singer and accused him of wreaking havoc on her finances. 

Rowe and Michael married in 1996, but it's worth noting that the relationship was never romantic. In fact, from the start they agreed that the marriage would help Michael become a parent, which he desperately wanted. Fast-forward to 1999 when they divorced, and the former husband and wife still seemed to be on the same page. In a statement issued to CBS News and other outlets in the wake of the split, Michael's rep shared, "Michael and Debbie remain friends, and they ask that the public respect their desire not to further comment or speculate upon the reasons for their decision." Michael was ultimately granted custody of their kids, and again, things were fine for a while. A few years later, though, that had changed. Following the serious allegations made against Michael, Rowe tried to gain custody of the kids ... and in a roundabout way, that led to the bankruptcy drama becoming public in June 2006. 

As was reported by TMZ at the time, Rowe claimed that Michael had not paid everything he'd agreed to at the time of their split, which was set to total $8.5 million after all payments were made. Per CBS News, he hadn't made a payment to her since 2003. According to TMZ's report, it had brought her to "the brink of bankruptcy," and she requested an immediate payment. That, in turn, would allow her to continue her custody proceedings against him — and court docs pointed out that without the money, she would have to resort to representing herself. 

Debbie Rowe would ultimately become a major supporter of Michael Jackson again, and as the late singer's publicist Stuart Backerman pointed out to CBS News after his death, she even came to his defense after the disturbing claims against him. What's more, despite the legal battle early on in the summer of 2006, by September, they had worked things out and come to a settlement. Speaking to Today, Rowe's attorney shared, "We're still dealing with the details but it addresses all of the disputes between the parties." The attorney added of the settlement, "I don't think it would have happened if both parties didn't agree it was appealing to both of them."

Sadly, Michael would pass away a few years later, and fans of the singer may even know that Rowe said she partially blamed herself for his death. Her logic was that as a nurse, she should have stepped in. 

Other than some legal drama after Michael died (there were rumors she would try to regain custody of the children, but the singer's mother, Katherine Jackson, had already been named their guardian), for the most part, Rowe has remained out of the public eye since her ex-husband's death. That said, over the years, she and Michael's daughter Paris Jackson have offered glimpses into their relationship, and after Rowe was diagnosed with breast cancer, she told ET she'd been there for her every step of the way. We're glad to know they're close, and we're sending love to the whole family.