Billy Joel gets candid about betrayal at the hands of advisor

Billy Joel has recently opened up about a financial betrayal. 

Pulling back the curtain on one of the most painful chapters of his life, the musician got candid about the betrayal that ultimately led to a $90 million lawsuit in 1989, per PEOPLE Magazine.

In Billy Joel: And So It Goes, the new two-part HBO documentary, the legendary singer-songwriter reflects on the staggering betrayal he faced at the hands of his former manager Frank Weber.

“I found out I didn’t have any of the money I should have,” Joel, now 76, shared in the film. “It hit me like a ton of bricks.”

The financial red flags began to appear as the 76-year-old singer was planning to renovate a home. 

“People in the music business that I knew were telling me, ‘You shouldn’t have a problem coming up with the money to do this. You just had all these hit records. Where’s all your money?’ And I didn’t have an answer for that.”

Christie Brinkley, the supermodel who was married to Joel at the time, recalled her attempts to warn him. 

“I thought, 'Wow, he’s flying everywhere on, like, a private jet. He’s buying racehorses galore, and everybody thinks we own property near them. Something’s not right here.' I said to Billy, ‘Frank Weber’s ripping you off.’ And he did not want to hear that.”

She added, “Frank had become like a confidante, a trusted advisor. I said, 'Look, I love you, I’m trying to protect you. I see people ripping you off.' Billy trusted him. He trusted him more than he trusted me, which of course hurt me to hear that.”

After coming to terms with the betrayal, Billy Joel took legal action, suing Weber for fraud and breach of contract.

“I owed Uncle Sam $5 million, I didn’t have the money I thought I have, and it was devastating. It was an emotional shock,” he said. “If I can’t trust this guy to look after my best interest, how stupid was I? How naive could I have been?”