Earlier this week, Big Pun's widow, Liza Rios, publicly accused Fat Joe of stealing money her late husband made during his rap career, before passing nearly nine years ago.

She's has made these allegations numerous times in the past. However, Fat Joe usually doesn't respond. This week, he did, calling into New York's Hot 97 radio station where he addressed the claims and told a very different story.

According to Joe, his late friend made millions during his successful career -- in which he became the first solo Latino rapper to go platinum -- but spent his earnings lavishly, leaving his wife and kids without finances following his abrupt passing.

So, what did Joe do? He says put together a plan to help get Liza back on her feet, but explained to her that she'd have to invest in herself because it was now on her to support the family.

"I had no clue he was broke. [Liza Rios] steps to me and says 'Joe, I'm broke, we got no money.'," Fat Joe explained over New York airwaves. "I said 'Listen, people aren't gonna feel sorry for you because you're Big Pun's wife forever. I'm gonna get you some money, now what do you do?' She's like 'I like to do hair.' I told her to go to school and maybe she can open up three or four salons later. "

Upon agreeing, Joe said he went into the studio and crafted Pun's third album, Endangered Species, and gave Liza the project's advance money.

"We do the album, Endangered Species. No one got paid on this album after Pun's death -- no producer, no studio, no rapper, not me, no one," Joe explained. "The full advance, which was hundreds of thousands of dollars, went to Liza Rios and the family. So, after he passed, she had hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Despite the financial boost, the rapper says Liza came back for more, which he obliged, but after the release of a recent DVD -- where she revealed that Big Pun physically abused her during their marriage -- he decided to end communication.

"I thought I did the right thing. She spent the money unwisely; she comes back and says 'Joe, I'm doing bad again.' We give her a check, out of our pockets. We gotta take care. At the end of the day, Pun's my brother," said Joe. "I take care of over 30 peoples, for the last 15 years. Like friend's bills, they rent, whatever. Why wouldn't I take care of Pun's wife and Pun's kids. She comes back another check, I take care of her and write her a check.

"How could expect to live off of Big Pun's name, being his wife, and you putting out DVDs of him pistol whipping you and you calling him an animal, calling him a beast. This is the problem I have with Liza Rios. At the same time she's saying 'I'm Pun's wife, take care of me,' she's basically disrespecting his legacy,' " the rapper continued.

Fat Joe says Liza bad mouths him in the media for attention, in an attempt to make money off of the publicity. He claims to that since Big Pun's death, he's not made $1 off of the late rapper.

His answer to Liza now is simple: "find a job."