How did Whitney Houston lose her fortune? Her US$250 million net worth from her music empire crumbled and the I Wanna Dance with Somebody icon owed money over property and even asked friends for cash

Dec 23 , 2022

Whitney Houston performing during the 2004 World Music Awards at the Thomas and Mack Center in 2004, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Getty Images

The extent of the singer’s debt came out during her divorce from Bobby Brown in 2007; she owed money over real estate in Atlanta and New Jersey and her own dad sued her for millions

In 2009, the multiple Grammy and Emmy award winner came clean about her drug habits to Oprah Winfrey; her family also signed a docuseries deal with Lifetime out of ‘necessity’

Once, it was unthinkable that “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” and Whitney Houston could be mentioned in the same breath, but by her own admission, that was her “business” after working hard during the early part of her career.

Houston, who made an estimated US$250 million with her music and sold more than 170 million albums, was among the world’s top artists in the 1980s and 1990s. But by the time of her death in 2012, the legendary singer – who is now the subject of a new biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody – was a shadow of the glamorous icon everybody knew.

Whitney Houston performing at the Brit Awards, at the London Arena, in 1999. Photo: AP Photo

A decade-long decline in front of the public resulted in her fortune dwindling to such an extent that she had to ask friends for money.

English actress Naomi Ackie has the title role in the new feature film, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Photo: Tribune News Service

The six-time Grammy award winner’s tumultuous relationship with Bobby Brown, her notorious party lifestyle and family handouts contributed towards her financial downfall.

Whitney Houston performs on stage during Michael Jackson’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years concert in New York, in 2001. Photo: AP

Here’s how she lost the millions …

Whitney Houston owed millions over her property

Whitney Houston appears on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York in 2000. Photo: Reuters

In 2007, Houston filed an income and expense declaration as part of her divorce proceedings from Brown. Radar Online reported the documents revealed she had a mere US$40,000 in cash and US$225,000 in stocks. The document also showed the extent of her debt.