Love is a beautiful thing if it’s genuine and both partners are willing to resolve issues amicably as opposed to watching their dirty linen in public. Nowadays, most couples get into a marriage of convenience and often divorce after months or decades of being together.
Money and fame that comes with having celebrity status in society don’t cushion celebrity couples from marital issues. Several celebrity marriages have ended up in dirty altercations on social media and multi-billion-dollar divorce settlements.
Divorce cases cost millions of dollars in legal fees and prenup costs. The two expenses make celebrity divorce cases even more complicated. In some instances, the celebrity loses half of their fortunes to their partner, while divorce lawyers smile all the way to the bank when the cases are finalized.
Here are the top 7 expensive celebrity divorce settlements.
Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott – USD 38 Billion
Jeff Bezos is a renowned philanthropist and entrepreneur recognized globally for establishing the largest and most successful eCommerce platform, Amazon. Though he was successful in business, his marriage was a different ball game.
In 2019, his marriage to Mackenzie Scott hit the rocks, resulting in a long and expensive divorce court case. Scott was instrumental in establishing Amazon; the two had been married for 26 years. Following the divorce, the court ruled that MacKenzie Scott gets a 4% stake in Amazon, making her the fourth wealthiest woman in the world.
She is now estimated to be worth $61.2 billion. Shortly after the divorce case ended, Scott promised to donate half of her wealth to charity, but little is known about her charity work.
Settlement: USD 38 billion
Divorced: 2019
Marriage: 26 years
Bill and Melinda Gates – USD 6 Billion in Stocks
The co-founders of one of the most successful tech companies in the world, Microsoft, Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, decided to end their marriage of 27 years in August 2021. The divorce was formalized by the King County Superior Court in Washington barely three months after the couple announced their plans to part ways.
The news broke on the internet, and most people thought it was a prank. At the time, they were among the most prominent couples in the business world. They worked, traveled, and attended most of the media interviews together.
Bill Gates’s net worth is estimated to be more than $112 billion. Details of the settlement are scanty as the court documents were not revealed to the public, but rumors have it that Melinda walked away with $6 billion in stocks.
Settlement: USD 6 Billion in stocks
Divorced: 2021
Marriage: 27 years
Rapper Dr Dre and Nicole Young – USD 3,519,672
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Andre Romelle Young, popularly known as Dr Dre, officially divorced her 26 years partner Nicole Young in July 2021. The divorce had been in the offing since June 2020, when Nicole told the press that they were planning to split due to irreconcilable differences. The last time the two love birds were seen together was at the Tom Ford fashion show held in February 2020.
According to court documents, Nicole Young sought $2 million per month as spousal support. Unluckily for her, the court ruled in favor of Dr Dre. He was ordered to pay $293,306 per month by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, equivalent to $3,519,672 per year. But there was a caveat in the ruling; Dre was to pay the amount until Nicole remarried or entered a new domestic partnership with someone else.
Settlement: USD 3,519,672 per year
Divorced: 2021
Marriage: 26 years
Sergey Brin and Nicole Shanahan – Not Yet Determined
Early this year, 2022, reports that Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder, was divorcing his wife, Nicole Shanahan went viral. The two have been together for four years and have a two-year-old daughter. Brin initiated the process by filing for divorce in January 2022,
Brin and Shanahan got married in 2018 in a private ceremony that only close family members and relatives were invited. Court documents show that the two separated in December 2021 but only started the process of making it official in January 2022.
One of the court documents we saw read, “All issues as to the property rights or obligations of the parties will be determined by confidential binding arbitration in accordance with a written agreement between the parties.”
The case is still ongoing, and the settlement amount is expected to become the most expensive celebrity divorce settlement to date. Reports indicate that Sergey Brin is worth $93 billion.
Settlement: Not Yet Determined
Divorced: 2021
Marriage: 4 years
Madonna and Guy Ritchie – USD 92 Million
Madonna is a successful artist and iconic entertainer who has been in the entertainment industry for over three decades. Information about her love life and relationships is public. Madonna and Guy Ritchie, a British actor, got married on December 22, 2000, at a private ceremony in Scotland.
On August 2001, the couple was blessed with their first son, Rocco Ritchie, and later adopted a son, David Banda, from Malawi. They made headlines in an array of magazines countless times as they were married and worked together on several projects, such as the movie “Swept Away” directed by Ritchie.
Unfortunately, things started to snowball downhill, and in 2008, Madonna made a bold decision to file for divorce. The court ordered Madonna to pay Ritchie $92 million. Madonna’s net worth is estimated to be $850 million, while Guy Ritchie is worth $ 5.8 – $132 billion.
Settlement: USD 92 million
Divorced: 2008
Marriage: 8 years
Mel Gibson and Robyn Denise Moore – USD 425 Million
Mel Gibson and Robyn Denis Moore are another A-list celebrity couple whose divorce caught the attention of the offline and online media. The couple decided to go their separate ways in 2006 after being together for 26 years.
Moore cited Gibson’s erratic behavior and abuse as the two primary reasons why she decided to file for divorce. At the time of the divorce, the couple had seven children, Edward, Hannah, William, Thomas, Milo, Louis, and Christian.
Moore’s family solicitors managed to secure her hefty settlement that was half the total net worth of the “Passion of Christ” actor, Mel Gibson. At the time, his net worth was estimated to be $850 million. After the divorce case was finalized in 2011, Gibson was left with only $425 million.
Settlement: USD 425 million
Divorced: 2011
Marriage: 26 years
Roman & Irina Abramovich – £1 Billion and 4 Homes
News that billionaire Roman Abramovich, who owns Chelsea football club, filed for divorce broke out in 2007. The couple decided to end their marriage on a consensual basis in Russia. The two were married for 16 years and had five children.
Bearing that Roman Abramovich is listed in Forbes magazine’s world’s 50 wealthiest people, his divorce case gained massive traction globally due to the expected high settlement amount. Court documents allege that Abramovich agreed to give his wife, Irina Abramovich, £155 million and four homes worth £44 million.
Settlement: £155 million and properties worth £44 million
Divorced: 2007
Marriage: 16 years
Conclusion
When it rains, it pours; the above seven A-list celebrity cases prove that money and fame don’t guarantee a perfect marriage. The divorce cases cost one of the partners millions of dollars and public humiliation. Were the marriages worth it? Did these celebrities truly love each other or one partner was taking advantage of the other? Your guess is as good as mine.