Breakups are never easy. And at times, they ain’t cheap either. At least that was the case with these hella expensive divorce settlements:
1. Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos: $38 billion
When Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie split, after 25 years of marriage, their divorce settlement made news for being the most expensive settlement ever. Despite the massive settlement, Jeff Bezos remained the world’s richest man at the time, with an estimated net worth of $121 billion.
2. Rupert Murdoch and Anna Mann: $100 million and secured property claims
Media Mogul Rupert Murdoch’s second divorce, with journalist Anna Mann, his wife of over 30 years, was reported to have cost a whopping $1.7 billion, making it the most expensive settlement at the time. However, though the figure of $1.7 bn is widely reported, according to The Guardian, it’s ‘mythical’. Reportedly, the actual settlement was $100 mn in cash to Mann, along with a secured property claim for her 3 children with Murdoch.
Murdoch married his third wife, Wendi, just 17 days after his divorce from Mann was finalized.
3. Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore: $425 million
After 26 years of marriage, Gibson and Moore seperated in 2004 and 5 years later, filed for a divorce in 2009. Gibson, who has 7 children with Moore, paid half of his entire net worth ($850 mn at the time) to Moore in the settlement.
4. Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy: $168 million
Former basketball player Michael Jordan’s marriage to Juanita Vanoy almost ended in 2002, when the two first filed for divorce. However, they reconciled, only to ultimately divorce four years later, in 2006 after being married for 17 years. Vanoy received $168 million from Jordan as part of the settlement.
5. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren: $110 million
After Woods’ publicized admissions of infidelity, Nordegren and he divorced in 2010. Elin received a sum of $110 million in the settlement, along with a fixed amount (monthly) for child support, for their two children.
6. Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving: $100 million
The E.T director split with his wife of 4 years, actress Amy Irving in 1989. At the time, a judge did not accept their prenup ‘agreement’, because it was scribbled on a napkin. Seems fair. Irving still received $100 million in the divorce settlement.
7. Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison: Between $85 million and $118 million
In 2000, Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison separated after 17 years of marriage, and three years later, filed for divorce. As per the reports, in the absence of a prenup, Mathison received somewhere between $85 million and $118 million in the settlement.
Mathison passed away after a battle with cancer in 2015, aged 65.
8. Madonna and Guy Ritchie: $10 million
After 8 years of marriage, Madonna and Ritchie split in 2008. Ritchie received the couple’s English country estate, Ashcombe, and $10 million in the settlement. However, initially, it was widely reported that Ritchie received between $75 million to $92 million in the settlement. But soon after, Madonna and Ritchie released a joint statement, stating that the financial details of the divorce were to remain private.
9. Heidi Klum and Seal: $70 million
After 7 years of marriage, Heidi Kulm and Seal filed for divorce. In the absence of a prenup, the divorce settlement amounted to $70 million.
10. James Cameron and Linda Hamilton: $50 million
Director James Cameron and actress Linda Hamilton were married for 2 years before they decided to part ways. As part of the divorce settlement, Hamilton received a total sum of $50 million.
Whoever said “love don’t cost a thing?”