Gary Coleman, once among television's highest-paid child stars with a fortune estimated at $18 million, died nearly broke at the age of 42 after years of legal battles, family rifts and financial mismanagement.

Coleman, who shot to fame at age 10 as Arnold Jackson on the hit sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, reportedly earned $70,000 per episode at the height of the show's popularity, the equivalent of more than $200,000 today.

But much of his wealth was lost in disputes with his parents and advisers, who controlled his earnings while he was a minor.

In 1989, Coleman sued his parents, accusing them of siphoning more than $1.3 million from his accounts.

A judge later determined that at least $770,000 had been withdrawn and placed into unsuccessful investments.

Though Coleman won the case, financial struggles persisted, and he declared bankruptcy in 1999.

The actor's career faltered after Diff'rent Strokes ended in 1986, though he made appearances on shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Married... with Children. Friends said the pressures of early fame left lasting scars.

Reports from The Independent noted that Coleman often vomited after filming scenes as a child and resented being pushed into roles.

Coleman died in 2010 from an intracranial hemorrhage following a fall at his Utah home. His death resurfaced this week after his ex-wife, Shannon Price, appeared on A&E's new series Lie Detector: Truth or Deception.

Price, who divorced Coleman in 2008, allegedly failed key questions about whether she withheld help during his fall or caused the incident. She has denied any wrongdoing.

Though Coleman's quick wit and catchphrase, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" cemented his place in pop culture history, his life ended far from the success he once enjoyed.