Since Aretha Franklin’s death, her finances have been a major topic of discussion. Almost immediately after the legendary singer’s passing, it was confirmed that she did not have a will and her assets would likely be tied up for quite some time. Now, new details about Aretha Franklin’s finances are being revealed. According to Radar Online , Mark Bego, the author of Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul/Tribute Edition shared details about the “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” singer’s financial troubles, recalling a number of occasions that ultimately led to her alleged reputation of not paying bills.
“Aretha had a bad reputation for not paying her bills, let alone her taxes.”
Bego went on to detail one particular lawsuit Aretha Franklin faced back in the ’90s. It has been reported that the singer had a habit of calling transportation services for the sole purpose of picking up food from local fast food restaurants. As a result of all the rides, Aretha reportedly racked up a tab that led to a limousine company suing her for thousands of dollars.
“She would hire the limo company to go to a local Kentucky Fried Chicken drive-through window to pick up food and bring it to her!”
In the book, Bego revealed just how much the food runs ultimately cost Aretha.
“In 1998…All-Star Limousine service of Royal Oak, Michigan, was suing her for the non-payment of $3,651.88 in provided services, plus $1,500 in legal fees,” the author wrote. “The lawsuit wasn’t a laughing matter in itself, but the list of services the limousine company provided for Aretha certainly were.”
The book went on to reveal the itemized costs of Aretha’s rides. In addition to multiple trips to Kentucky Fried Chicken, the bill — which was included in the lawsuit presented to Bloomfield Hills district court judge Edward Avadenka — also included a breakdown of the limousine company’s trips to a list of other places Aretha Franklin requested transportation for. In total, the limousine company took Aretha Franklin on 18 different trips. The company reportedly sent multiple invoices to Aretha Franklin, but to no avail. Since the singer’s death, a number of other debts have also been made public.
The latest report about Bego’s book follows recent reports about Aretha Franklin’s IRS debacle. According to CNBC , there is speculation that the singer’s estate may owe the government approximately $8 million in back taxes and penalties. However, an attorney representing Aretha’s estate is disputing the unpaid tax estimates.
