Brandon Miller came clean to his wife about their financial failures in his final moments, but not before the many millions had overwhelmed him in debt.
That’s according to a report by The New York Times, which revealed this week just how dire Miller’s financial straits were before he took his own life in the garage of his $8 million home in the Hamptons on June 30.
Miller, 43, was a struggling real estate mogul married to the lifestyle influencer and mommy blogger Candice Miller, who posted daily to her nearly 100,000 Instagram followers under the handle “Mama & Tata.”
The family lived a lifestyle envied by their fans. Candice, 42, praised the benefits of her weekly $800 facials and often bounced between ritzy resorts with her two daughters in tow. When in New York, she threw parties on their yacht, named MillerTime, and at their waterfront home.
While Candice showed off the high life, however, Miller was reportedly fending off creditors and burning years-long friendships as he struggled to scrape together cash to cover his mountain of debt and keep their home.
The Times reported that Miller hid his debt from Candice for years, with her only learning of their financial reality in May after a lender rang her cell and told her bluntly that their family was “broke.” Still, her lifestyle carried on after Miller reportedly insisted he had it under control.
Miller’s world came crashing down in late June, however, after a much-needed real estate deal fell through. Candice and his daughters were vacationing in Italy at the time, enjoying a made-for-Instagram trip he encouraged them to take as he sealed a deal to set their finances straight.
The Times reported that Miller continued lying into his final days, however, insisting to Candice that the failed deal had gone through and that their financial burden was eased. In reality, he was scrambling to secure a loan for as little as $1,000 while Candice’s credit cards began declining abroad.
In a suicide note typed before he took his life, the Times reported that Miller conceded his all-important business deal had actually collapsed along with his will to live.
Miller’s note said he was “doing what was best” for his wife and kids, the report added. He mentioned a pair of life insurance policies he’d taken out that’d total to about $15 million—a chunk that could be used to appease creditors.
It appears Candice may need every penny. The Times reported that the banks and buds who loaned Miller money are now wanting her to pay up.
The report said a mortgage lender has already sued Candice for $800,000 in missed payments and interest, and that MillerTime has already been repossessed. More may follow soon.
Candice pulled her beloved “Mama and Tata” Instagram account offline shortly after Miller’s death and has gone quiet, leading to scores of speculation on Reddit as to what went wrong for the childhood-friends-turned-couple.
In a statement to the Times, a spokesman for Candice said she was focussed on grieving the loss of her husband.
“Candice is devastated by the loss of her soul mate, and her two young daughters’ lives are forever impacted by the loss of their beloved daddy,” he said.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.