Singer Jewel Says Her Mom Allegedly Stole $100 Million From Her: 'I Woke Up and Realized She Embezzled All of My Money.' The singer opened up about her estrangement from her mom and the alleged theft on the 'Verywell Mind Podcast.'

By Sam Silverman Edited by Jessica Thomas

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage/Getty Images

Nineties songstress Jewel is opening up about her tumultuous relationship with her mother Lenedra Carroll, and she says theft and greed are to blame.

While speaking on the Verywell Mind Podcast with Amy Morin, the singer claimed that her mom, who was also her manager, stole millions of dollars from her and left her with a great deal of debt.

"I can't remember my exact age, but I woke up and realized she embezzled all of my money, over $100 million," Jewel said while discussing how her mother impacted her mental health.

"And then as I started investigating the truth about what my mom had told me in my life versus what was true, I had realized that pretty much everything that I formed my reality on was fiction," she added.

Although Jewel didn't go into further detail about the alleged theft, she added that she was $3 million in debt by the time she was 34, and realizing that her mother stole from her was a "very difficult psychological thing to come to terms with."

Related: Kevin Bacon Admits He Lost 'Most' of His Net Worth to Bernie Madoff's 'Too Good to Be True' Ponzi Scheme

Jewel has been estranged from her mother since the early 2000s, according to Entertainment Tonight.

The hardships Jewel, now 48, has faced inspired her to create her own mental health app, Innerworld, where people can get free support and remain anonymous in the metaverse.

Aside from her app and her platinum-selling career, she was also recently on tour with Train.

Today, the artist has an estimated net worth of $14 million.

Sam Silverman

Content Strategy Editor

Sam Silverman is a content strategy editor at BIZ Experiences Media. She specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), and her work can be found in The US Sun, Nicki Swift, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and Health. She writes for our news team with a focus on investigating scandals. Her coverage and expertise span from business news, BIZ Experiencesship, technology, and true crime, to the latest in entertainment and TV news. Sam is a graduate of Lehigh University and currently resides in NYC. 

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Starting a Business

These Brothers Started a Business to Improve an Everyday Task. They Made Their First Products in the Garage — Now They've Raised Over $100 Million.

Coulter and Trent Lewis had an early research breakthrough that helped them solve for the right problem.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Franchise

How to Prepare Your Business — And Yourself — For a Smooth Exit

After decades of building your business, turning it over to someone else can be emotional. But with the right mindset and a strong plan, it can also be your proudest moment.

Franchise

10 No-Office-Required Businesses You Can Start for as Little as $5,000

With strong Franchise 500 rankings and investment levels starting under $5,000, these brands are ready for new owners to hit the ground running.

Business News

Here Are the 10 Jobs AI Is Most Likely to Automate, According to a Microsoft Study

These careers are most likely to be affected by generative AI, based on data from 200,000 conversations with Microsoft's Copilot chatbot.