LeAnn's Dad Files Counter-Suit

December 7, 2000 -- LeAnn Rimes' father and former manager, Wilbur Rimes, filed a counter-suit last week against his daughter's company, LeAnn Rimes Entertainment Inc., and took the opportunity to portray his estranged daughter as an out-of-control teenager.

The suit, filed in Dallas, is a response to a claim filed last May, which charged that Wilbur cheated LeAnn out of more than $7 million over five years.

Wilbur Rimes' lawsuit alleges that his daughter, who is now 18, wrecked a $350,000 Bentley; bought liquor with her credit card; became romantically involved, at age 15, with older country singer Bryan White; and paid more than $10,000 for each visit to a hair stylist.

J. Cary Gray, LeAnn Rimes' lawyer, told USA Today, "The document that Mr. Rimes filed is so full of false and misleading statements that are totally unrelated to this case … that the only reason he could possibly have filed this lawsuit is to humiliate his daughter so much that she would let him get away with this outrageous behavior."