While the topic of divorce is generally a negative one – we thought we would take a moment to list three of the most expensive known divorce settlements in history. In some cases the divorce settlements are sealed so we won’t know the exact terms of the divorce – so we’ve only listed the ones that are public below. What’s interesting about high-net worth divorces is how both parties come to an agreement on the settlement amount. This process is generally fraught with highly charged emotions, extensive valuation processes and a lot of legal proceedings where legal advice can be very complex.

Read more on these high net-worth divorces below.

1. Billionaire Jeff Bezos and now ex-wife MacKenzie - $4 billion dollars
   With Amazon currently being ranked one of the most highly valued companies in the world it comes as no surprise that the divorce settlement between Jeff Bezos and his then wife MacKenzie would be accompanied by a lot of money. In fact, Jeff Bezos was reported to give MacKenzie a 4% stake in the company which amounts to approximately $4 billion dollars as part of their pending divorce.
2. Alec Wildenstein and Jocelyn Wildenstein - $3.8 billion dollars
   In 1999 – the costliest divorce settlement between American businessman and art dealer Alec Wildenstein and then wife Jocelyn amounted to $3.8 billion dollars. While this settlement is definitely one of the largest we’ve heard of – it was reported in 2018 by money.com that Jocelyn had filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the United States and was now collecting social security payments of $900/month after she burned through billions of dollars.
3. Rupert Murdoch and Maria Torv - $1.7 billion dollars
   Rupert Murdoch is a well-known media mogul and was married to Maria Torv for 31 years. While their high-profile divorce was known to be relatively amicable – Maria wass reported to have received $1.7 billion dollars from the divorce settlement. Once the divorce was finalized – Rupert Murdoch then went on to marry Wendi Deng 17 days after the divorce while Maria married William Mann six months later.

Are you looking for assistance with your high net-worth divorce?

Contact our Edmonton divorce lawyers today

If you require legal assistance from an Edmonton divorce lawyer contact Verhaeghe Law Office today. We have experience in dealing with high net-worth divorces and aim to handle our client’s divorce proceedings as amicable as possible for both parties. We can easily serve clients from any of our offices – all located in Whitecourt, Athabasca and Edmonton. Our legal team have helped thousands of Albertans with their divorce related legal matters and are ready to work for you.

Call 587-410-2500 today to book your consultation now.

Disclaimer: Please note the advice contained in this article does not constitute legal advice and is only intended to act as a general overview on the topic at hand. Each legal situation is unique and we recommend you speak with a divorce lawyer from Alberta if you have a question pertaining to joint divorces in Alberta or require legal assistance.