Billy Ray Cyrus Announces Divorce Finalization, Is ‘Relieved to Put This Nightmare Behind Him’

Billy Ray Cyrus took to Instagram to share a statement that confirms that he and Australia-born singer/songwriter, FIREROSE, have officially been declared divorced by the Courts. According to the new statement, the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer is “relieved to put this nightmare behind him.”

The former couple is said to have reached a settlement agreement at mediation on Friday, August 2, nearly three months after Cyrus filed to dissolve their seven-month marriage due to “irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct.”

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When news first broke of the pair’s split, Cyrus was reportedly seeking an annulment from the court, claiming the marriage was “obtained by fraud.” Shortly after, the situation escalated to a point where Cyrus deemed it necessary to seek a temporary restraining order from his now ex-wife, whose real name is Johanna Rose Hodges. This action prevented her from any “unauthorized” use of his credit cards, including personal and business, per documents obtained by PEOPLE, on Thursday, June 13 in a Tennessee court.

The Kentucky native accused FIREROSE of spending over $96,000 in charges on his business account, which reportedly includes $70,665 to her attorneys. These charges to Cyrus’ credit cards reportedly began the day he filed for divorce. She responded to the motion through her attorneys in a statement that was obtained by People and reads, “To claim Wife has made 37 unauthorized charges is untrue. Throughout the divorce proceedings, the parties are to live as per the status quo during the marriage. Wife was simply living as she has since October 10, 2023, and Husband has no right to cut her off.” 

Firerose also claimed that she had access to Cyrus’ American Express credit card since June of 2022, which is well before they tied the knot. 

According to Cyrus, he and FIREROSE have remained separate in their financial responsibilities, with no joint accounts or credit cards. They also do not own any real estate together. FIREROSE, on the other hand, allegedly owns property in Los Angeles that is valued at over “seven figures” and has more than half a million dollars in liquid assets. 

The pair have continued to go back and forth in a public battle over these past few months while waiting for their divorce to be finalized. The songstress accused her former husband of being abusive and reportedly told Page Six in an interview that he had “very strict rules” for her to follow in their relationship. Cyrus denied the claims, but noted that his partner was a cheater, verbally abusive and that she was using him for a “scam.” Firerose also denied his accusations.

The most recent statement from the singer’s divorce lawyers, Rose Palermo and Jason Talley of Cheatham Palermo & Garrett, reveals that FIREROSE legally changed her last name from “Hudges” to “Cyrus” just a couple weeks before mediation took place. This further validated Cyrus’ belief that his ex-wife’s sole reason for marrying him “was to obtain his last name.”

Cyrus went on to say a few words of his own in support of this claim. 

“I’m just very relieved…and giving thanks today to breathe a sigh of relief/ this has been absolutely the most crazy insane scam I have ever heard of. Let alone the fact I’m right in the center and basically the target of the scheme. It’s unfortunate…it played out this way…not only was it a web of lies that put me in physical danger…it was a matter of the heart. Love is blind…that’s for sure.”

The latest update regarding their marital status comes less than a year after the couple said “I do” in October of 2023.