LeAnn Rimes Enters Rehab Over 'Stress' Amid 'Treachery' Investigation
LeAnn Rimes is reportedly in rehab just days after celebrating her 30th birthday following reports that she is suffering from stress and anxiety.
The singer's representative confirmed that Rimes, who has endured ongoing abuse on Twitter over her controversial marriage to Eddie Cibrian in recent weeks, voluntarily entered a treatment facility to help overcome emotional issues.
"LeAnn has voluntarily entered a 30 day in-patient treatment facility to cope with anxiety and stress," Rimes' rep, Marcel Pariseau, told People magazine in a statement. "While there will be speculation regarding her treatment, she is simply there to learn and develop coping mechanisms. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated."
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The news comes less than one week after her attorney, Larry Stein, confirmed that he is investigating what he described as an incident of "treachery" involving one of Rimes' former Twitter followers.
Kimberly Smiley, a former fan of Rimes, claims that she began following the country music singer in 2010 "because she supported Jimmy Wayne (a country artist who was walking across the U.S. to raise awareness for foster youth)," Smiley recently told the Huffington Post.
"I immediately noticed how much she tweeted certain people and I found it strange. I was blocked by LeAnn immediately after I started speaking to Brandi [Glanville] fans on Twitter," she went on.
Glanville is the ex-wife of Cibrian, and the reality TV star has publicly criticized Rimes on various occasions for engaging in an affair with him while he was still married. Rimes, who was also married to another man at the time, has previously admitted to the affair but claims it only occurred because she did not know any better.
Rimes allegedly called Smiley at random while enjoying a lunch with two of her Twitter followers, though it is still unclear how she obtained Smiley's cell phone number.
During the phone call, which Smiley recorded and which was also posted online, Rimes blasted Glanville as being "vindictive" and invited Smiley to spend time with her in an attempt to get to know the "real LeAnn." Smiley said that she was "surprised that [Rimes] thought I'd just change my mind about her and want to come hang with her."
In a statement, Stein accused Smiley of treachery for recording the phone conversation without Rimes' consent and even accused her of editing parts of it.
"Kimberly Smiley has been tweeting mean and derogatory things about LeAnn for years. A mutual friend suggested LeAnn talk to Miss Smiley in an attempt to reduce the negativity. In an attempt to conciliate, LeAnn spoke to Miss Smiley. Instead of accepting LeAnn's kind gesture, Miss Smiley apparently, without consent, taped portions of the conversation, changed the conversation through editing and created snippets out of context to distribute to the media," Stein told the Huffington Post.
"It is a violation of the California penal code to tape a telephone conversation without the other party's consent. LeAnn is totally disappointed in Ms. Smiley's treachery and has turned the entire matter over to her attorney," he added.
Just days prior Rimes, a self-proclaimed devout Christian, lashed out at another random Twitter follower, who criticized her for having an affair with Cibrian before going on to marry him.
"Remember you can't break what's already broken," Rimes tweeted in response to criticisms that she broke Cibrian's marriage to Glanville. "I'm not anything like what you read about. It's all lies and anything you've read about no matter who or where it comes from....well, let's just say its a game for so many to hurt others. Time to move on, everyone else has."
