More money, more problems. Mariah Carey’s “lavish spending” and James Packer‘s “temper” were two of the factors that led the couple to call off their engagement, multiple sources tell Us Weekly.
“He’s not used to that level of spending,” one source tells Us, claiming it “drove him crazy” that she brought along so many staffers when they traveled.
Another insider echoes that although Packer, 49, is a billionaire, her glamorous lifestyle was still a lot for him to handle. “The difference is, she has always drained through her own money, but now she had him picking up some of the bills,” another source tells Us. “He started managing her money and her affairs. He started coming up with other ways she could make money.” However, Carey’s rep denied to Entertainment Tonight that the pair were splitting over “excessive spending.”
The business mogul was often busy with his own commitments, though. According to the second source, Packer was rarely around, and when they were together, he would get annoyed “over little things.”
“This was just a bad combination,” the source tells Us. “In the beginning, he swept her off her feet and was a gentleman, but then as time went on, he revealed he had a temper and could get angry over the smallest things.”
A third source counters, however, that Packer is “not an angry guy” and that he and Carey “just grew apart” over time. “They didn’t agree on a lot. This is not about him losing his temper,” the source says.
As previously reported, Carey’s rep confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that the couple broke off their engagement after they had an argument while vacationing in Greece. “Mariah and James had a fight in Greece and have not seen each other since,” Carey’s rep said on Thursday, October 27. “The fight was not because of any cheating allegations or excessive spending by Mariah. James is one of the most successful businessmen in the world. They are trying to work it out. Right now, they’re not sure if they will stay together. They are discussing it and plan to release an official statement together about their future.”
A source close to the “We Belong Together” singer previously told Us that Carey called it quits with Packer because he wasn’t making enough time for her in his busy schedule. “James has not been present for her, so she unfortunately couldn’t make it work and had to leave him,” the insider said. However, a rep for Packer told Us, “This is simply not true.”
The casino mogul and the five-time Grammy winner got engaged back in January in New York City after eight months of dating.
