UPDATE:  August 16, 2011

Russell Armstrong, the estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Taylor Armstrong, was found dead of an apparent suicide … sources tell TMZ.

Our sources say Armstrong hanged himself. He was found hanging in his bedroom onMulholland Drive.

We’re told L.A. City Fire Department arrived at his home and pronounced him dead at 8:16 PM Monday. Sources say a roommate found Russell and called 911.

We’re told authorities have not found a suicide note.

Taylor filed for divorce last month, after she claimed Russell physically abused her.  We’re told authorities informed her of Russell’s death last night.

He was 47 years old.

Story developing …

8:13 AM: Bravo and the cast of “Real Housewives” were unaware of Russell’s death.Kyle Richards was distraught when she saw the TMZ post, and Lisa Vanderpumpwas speechless.

9:29 AM: A rep for Bravo tells TMZ, “All of us at Bravo are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Our sympathy and thoughts are with the Armstrong family at this difficult time.”

9:35 AM: Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … no drugs or alcohol were found in the bedroom where Russell died.  He was fully clothed when his body was discovered.

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1-28-2011:  Links to Russell Armstrong’s bankruptcy and criminal court case have been taken down as the information on the linked sites was deleted.  I am in the process of finding the deleted information.

Russell Armstrong filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy back in October 2005.  Armstrong, an investor, said he had less than $50,000 in assets and debt somewhere between $1 and $10 million.

Russell, who has been married to Taylor for seven years, says in docs he made a boatload during the 1990′s “dot.com boom” but took a huge financial hit when everything crashed. And it went from bad to worse after 9/11, with an IRS dispute and a “costly” palimony lawsuit filed by a former fianceé.

Christy Corino lawsuit:  On May 9, 2001 Christy Corino filed a lawsuit (Los Angeles Superior Court, Case Number SC066598) against Russell Lynn Armstrong accusing him of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, statutory securities violations and breach of fiduciary duties.

According to court documents, Corino alleges Russell Armstrong sold her $175,000 worth of stock in Workseek.com based on Armstrong’s knowledge that the company was going to be merging with Sunburst Acquisitions III, Inc., of which Armstrong was the largest shareholder. The stock was purchased on February 24, 2000 but the merger would eventually fail as would Workseek.com.

Corino claims Armstrong knew the merger was going to fail as early as January 13, 2000 and there must have been some truth to her claims because the two parties would eventually avoid trial and reach a settlement on November 4, 2002. From court documents:

Russell Armstrong did fail to make the payments and a notice of entry of judgment was filed on August 5, 2003. Corino filed again in February 16, 2006 asking that she be awarded damages equal to the indebtedness, plus prejudgment interest, attorneys fees and “such other relief as the Court may deem just and proper.”

Crescent Financial Partners – Team

Website:  www.russellarmstrong.info