Oprah Winfrey's mother, Vernita Lee, sued

According to the civil complaint Lee, a Milwaukee resident, has had an open-ended charge account with Valentina Inc. since January 2004.

As of July 1, she has racked up a bill of $155,547.31 in purchases and interest, according to the complaint. (Lee was required to make a minimum monthly payment of $2,000 to the store, the paper reports.)

Valentina attorney Joseph Niebler, Sr., told the Sentinel that at some point Lee stopped making the monthly payments.

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