The singer Jewel has claimed that her estranged mother "embezzled" over $100 million from her in what she describes as a situation that is "very hard to come to terms with".
Jewel, 48, has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has been the recipient of four Grammy nominations alongside being a successful author.
The singer co-founded the Inspiring Children's Foundation 21 years ago, which is a non-profit that transforms the lives of at-risk young people in Las Vegas that applies a holistic approach to promoting positive mental and physical health.
In her 2015 memoir, Never Broken — Songs Are Only Half the Story, Jewel opened up about her relationship with her estranged mother and former manager.
"I can't tell you the tears I've cried to see who my mom really is," Jewel wrote, via PEOPLE. "I can't tell you about the pain, and how my heart to this day screams to have a mom in my life. But I know that it is not safe with her. Every day I miss having a mom. But I don't miss Nedra."
Jewel has opened up even further about her relationship with her mother, and how she lost a significant amount of money.
On the latest episode of the Very Well Mind podcast with Amy Morin, the singer explained how her mother was detrimental to her mental health and how she allegedly stole $100 million.
"I didn't really realize what my mom was until I was 30-something … I woke up and realized she embezzled all of my money — over $100 million," Jewel began. "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 had formed my reality off was fiction."
Jewel explained that as she grew up, she took a different view of her parents' separation and that she credited her dad for how he handled her "scary" and "terrifying" childhood.
"My dad didn't take us from my mom, he actually did a good thing. [I] realized my mom left because she didn't want to be a mom," Jewel explained.
"Having to go back as a 34-year-old and rework your psyche was not fun but so powerful," the singer continued. "Thirty-four years old, realize I'm $3 million in debt, realize my mom stole it, realize everything I thought my mom was, isn't what she was, very difficult psychological thing to come to terms with."
Due to her turbulent childhood, Jewel has dedicated much of her time to the improvement of mental health support, as displayed in her foundation.