Even billionaires aren’t immune to losing money during divorce; their settlements just cost more than most. Billionaire Elon Musk found this out when he divorced his college-sweetheart Justine Musk.
The couple had six children together, and have since gone their separate ways. The total payout was worth $20 million dollars, but to a billionaire that is a drop in the bucket.
Bill and Melinda Gates Settlement:
One of the most powerful couples in the world, Bill and Melinda Gates shocked people around the world when they announced their divorce after 27 years together. The two met at Microsoft where Melinda was working as a marketing manager. The geeky romance took in the year 1987 and by 1994 they were married.
Since their marriage, the two have created one of the most significant philanthropical organizations in the world involving billions of dollars. Unsurprisingly, they now have to wade paperwork of dividing their $150 billion dollar fortune. This is no easy task and though details are private, a lot is at stake, apparently even their Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation their famous non-profit.
Lance Armstrong and Kristin Richard Settlement:
Lance Armstrong and Kristin Richard fell for one another in 1997 when he was facing testicular cancer. She quit her job in order to move with him to France and Armstrong won the Tour de France five times during their marriage. Their marriage ended in 2003.
Richard commented in an interview, “Before I got divorced, I was personally unfamiliar with trial, or at least trial of serious, heart-wrenching proportions. I figured that life went smoothly if you tried hard, and if you messed up, or things weren't working out, you just tried harder.”
John Cleese and Alyce Faye Eichelberg Settlement:
Monty Python Star John Cleese and his wife Alyce Faye ended their marriage in 2009. Apparently, Cleese’s wife benefited so much from the divorce settlement that she became richer than him.
He reportedly paid $19.7 million and $13 million in assets which included a New York apartment, a home in London, and a beach house in Santa Barbara.
Mike Tyson and Robin Givens Settlement:
Well that was one short but expensive marriage! Actress Robin Givens and former professional boxer, Mike Tyson were married for only 10 months and she managed to get $10 million from the divorce settlement. It’s rumored that she even got more than that. Some people believe that she married the former boxer for his money.
The two had a very tumultuous relationship, with allegations of violence and spousal abuse on Tyson's part. In a joint interview with Tyson and Givens gave with Barbara Walters, Givens described her marriage with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possible imagine."
Bernie Ecclestone and Slavica Radić, 2009 — $1.2 billion
In 2009, the marriage ended between one of the richest people in the United Kingdom and a Croatian model. Sounds like such a good match, right? The two we are referring to are Formula One Executive Bernie Ecclestone and Slavica Radić.
The settlement was estimated at $1.2 billion although it wasn’t confirmed. Oddly enough, it seems that Radić is paying off her ex-husband.
Dmitry Rybolovlev and Elena Rybolovlev, 2014 — $604 million
Noted as the “most expensive divorce in history,” the two ended their marriage after 26 years together. The divorce took a gruesome 6 years until it was finalized.
We imagine that each party’s divorce attorney fought hard for the win.
Robert & Sheila Johnson – $400 million
Robert Johnson and Sheila Crump were married from 1969-2002. Together they founded BET (Black Entertainment Television). They were married for 33 years before getting a divorce.
Sheila’s net worth skyrocketed after the divorce to a staggering $670 million. In an interview, Sheila stated that she is ashamed of what BET has become. "I don't watch it. I suggest to my kids that they don't watch it," she said. "When we started BET, it was going to be the Ebony magazine on television...but the problem is that then the video revolution started up... And then something started happening, and I didn't like it at all. And I remember during those days we would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and which ones were not. We got a lot of backlash from recording artists... and we had to start showing them. I didn't like the way women were being portrayed in these videos."
Jesse Williams & Aryn Drake-Lee – Approx. $4 Million
Recently, Grey’s Anatomy actor Jesse Williams and his wife Aryn Drake-Lee have made announcement of their “amicable” split.
They got married in 2012 after dating for many years and have two children together, Sadie and Maceo. Rumors are that the divorce settlement is around $4 million.
Michael Strahan & Jean Muggli – $15 Million
Former Football star for the New York Giants, Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli met in 1994 at a spa. The two tied the knot in 1999. Their marriage was pretty rocky which eventually led to their divorce in 2006.
Muggli was paid $15 million and on top of that received $18,000 every month in child support for their twin daughters.
Garth Brooks & Sandy Mahl – $125 Million
We love when college sweethearts get married, like country icon Garth Brooks and songwriter Sandy Mahl did in 1986. But so many times, the marriage just doesn’t work out.
The pair separated in 1999 and divorced officially in 2001. They have three daughters together.
Reba McEntire & Narvel Blackstock – $47.5 Million
Country sensation Reba McEntire married her manager and former steel guitar player, Narvel Blackstock in 1989 at Lake Tahoe on a boat. The pair took over Reba's career together and formed Starstruck Entertainment. They had a son together, Shelby, and Reba inherited three step-children from the marriage.
The "Queen of Country" and her ex-husband split up after 26 years of marriage in what was a huge surprise for fans. They have remained friends and big supporters of one another.
Arnold Schwarzenegger & Maria Shriver – $375 Million
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriner called each other husband and wife for 25 years, until Arnold’s affair with their housekeeper was made public. And when we say public, we mean to the whole world.
Their divorce was pretty nasty but fortunately for Maria, she got $375 million out of it and custody of their children.
John & Beverley Charman -$95 Million
A long time ago, John Charman and his high school sweetheart Beverley got married. The couple didn’t have money, but they had a lot of love. Well, the money grew and grew until John became the eighth richest businessman in London.
The love however, started to fade. Beverly quit her job in order to care of her children. She got her money’s worth in their divorce settlement in which she got $95 million.
Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher received a ton of public attention when they started dating. Probably because Ashton was 16 years her junior. In 2005, the pair made it official and eloped.
Their marriage took a turn for the worse in 2011 and a year later, Kutcher was filing for divorce due to irreconcilable differences. Kutcher definitely paid a lot in the divorce settlement, although we aren’t sure how much. He now seems to be moved on and very happy with his former That 70's Show costar Mila Kunis. They have two adorable children together.
Adnan Khashoggi & Soraya Khashoggi – $874 million
Meet Saudi Arabian billionaire and international businessman Adnan Khashoggi who was married to Soraya Khashoggi.
After 20 years of marriage, the couple broke up in 1980. The divorce cost him a staggering $874 million. Did your mouth just drop? Because mine surely did.
Pauline Chai & Dr Khoo Kay Peng – $80 million
Dr Khoo Kay Peng is a Malaysian Chinese business executive and the 44th richest person in Malaysia. He married Pauline Chai in 1970 after beauty queen Chai was crowned Miss Malaysia.
Their marriage lasted for a long 45 years together during which they had 5 children. Since divorcing, a lot of personal information has surfaced regarding the pair.
Ted Danson & Casey Coates – $30 million
Cheers actor Ted Danson tied the knot with his second wife, Cassandra “Casey” Coates in 1977, a film producer. Coates had a stroke in 1979 while giving birth to their daughter. Danson subsequently spent many years caring for his wife and they later adopted a second child.
Unfortunately for Ted, his affair with actress Whoopi Goldberg was outed and Ted and Casey divorced in 1983. At the time it became one of Hollywood’s most expensive divorces at $30 million.
Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston – $60 million
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were the most famous celebrity couple in the early 2000’s. People were absolutely obsessed. They tied the knot in 2000 in a stunning ceremony in Malibu. Let’s just say the world was depressed to find out of their divorce in 2005.
We’ll spare you the details and it seems like the “Team Aniston” versus “Team Jolie” is no longer relevant as they both haven’t worked out. But really, which team were you rooting for?
Jeff Gordon & Brooke Sealey – $15 million
Daytona 500 winner, Jeff Gordon, married Brooke Sealey, a Winston Cup model in 1994. Their relationship had previously been a secret, due to an unspoken rule which forbade models from dating the racers.
Their marriage lasted eight years before they split. Somehow, Brooke walked away with $15 million although they didn’t have children together. Jeff Gordon has a net worth of $200 million, and makes around $30 million every year from salary and endorsements, so he should be just fine.
Alex Rodriguez & Cynthia Scuris – $12 Million
Athletes seem to just have trouble keeping their marriages together! Here you have it - another athlete divorce. Former professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez, AKA A-Rod and Cynthia Scurtis, a psychology graduate married in 2002 and had two children together.
Their marriage crumbled and in 2008, Cynthia filed for divorce, citing emotional abandonment of her and her children and extra marital affairs. It’s estimated that their divorce settlement was around $12 million.
Cheryl & Ashley Cole – $7.5 Million
Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy and English professional football player Ashley Cole began dating in September 2004 while living on the same block in London. They got married two years later in July 2006 in Wrotham Park, Hertfordshire.
They separated after allegations were made that Cole had affairs with several other women. Cheryl had previously stated that she didn't marry Ashley for his money. Irony was at its finest when she walked away with $7.5 million dollars after they split up. And to say she didn’t want any of it...
Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom – $7 Million
We have seen a bunch of Kardashians grace our list. I guess with a lot of money and fame comes relationship failure? Khloe ended her marriage with Lamar after his drug battle.
Despite an ironclad prenup and Lamar’s drug addiction which brought on the divorce, the former NBA star walked away with $7 million. With a huge net worth already of $116 million, we can’t imagine the $7 was anything special.
Kate Winslet & Jim Threapleton – $4 Million
Actress icon, the beautiful, Kate Winslet and film Director Jim Threapleton met on the set of Hideous Kinky. They married in 1998 in Reading, Berkshire, Kate's hometown.
They split up after three years of marriage. They have one daughter together, Mia. For the sake of their daughter, they remain in good relations and are often spotted together.
James Packer & Erica Baxter – $95 Million
The powerful Australian couple broke up in 2013 and James quickly moved on a year later to his next model, Miranda Kerr. Erica, a pop singer and model relocated to LA along with her three kids. The distance is surely difficult, but Packer makes sure to visit them often, we imagine in a private jet.
The divorce settlement surely didn't budge James' whopping net worth which is over $5 billion. He is the son of media mogul Kerry Packer and inherited control of the family company, Consolidated Press Holdings Limited and investments in Crown Resorts.
Kris & Bruce Jenner – $2.5 Million
Another very public divorce, the famous reality TV-couple split up in 2015 after Bruce came out as transgender.
The couple has managed to keep good relations, which is good because they have a huge family, including their two children Kendall and Kylie, and Kris's children from her previous marriage, Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, and Rob.
Hulk & Linda Hogan – $10 Million
Who didn’t love watching the Hogans on their reality T.V show? Linda and Hulk ended their marriage in 2007, however it took over four years for their divorce settlement to be finalized.
The two have now moved on; Hulk Hogan has remarried to Jennifer McDaniel, 21 years his junior and Linda was dating Charley Hill, who was 19 at the time of their divorce (Linda was 48).
Christie Brinkley & Peter Cook – $2.1 Million
It seems like the model, actress, and businessman Christie Brinkley and architect Peter Cook had a good marriage before they split a decade later. The very public split came in 2006 in light of Peter’s affair with an 18-year-old in the Hamptons.
If she got something from the twenty-five years she spent as the face of CoverGirl and the 500 magazine covers she appeared on, it's that she knows her worth. She quickly filed for divorce.
Janet Jackson & Rene Elizondo – $10 Million
The youngest child of the Jackson family, Janet Jackson tried to keep her relationship to dancer/songwriter/director Rene Elizondo out of the public eye for a whole nine years. She did a pretty good job at it until he filed for divorce in 2000.
The couple had a prenup but that seemed not to have mattered and Elizondo sued her for spousal support, receiving more than $10 million.
Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries – $1 Million
Reality TV star and model Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries became engaged in 2011, just a short seven months after they had began dating. They were married in Montecito, California but their marriage lasted for a notorious 72 days.
It was an expensive 2.5 months at that. Their divorce settlement cost $1 million. Have they proved that a reality star and basketball player are doomed to fail?
Christina Milian & The-Dream – $4 Million
The R&B couple became engaged in 2009 and celebrated the occasion in Las Vegas. They shortly after eloped at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2010, they welcomed their first daughter together, Violet Madison Nash. The-Dream already had three children with his ex-wife Nivea.
For one reason or another, they broke off their marriage in 2011. The two have actually stayed friends and even still produce music together.
Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey – $12 Million
They were our favorite “Newlyweds,” but sadly they are no more. The singing duo Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey split up in 2006 after they were married for four years. Their reality show was super popular but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to make their marriage last.
They’ve since each moved on- Jessica is currently married to former football player Eric Johnson and the pair have two children together, with a third on the way. The former 98-degrees lead singer, Nick Lachey, has been married to beauty queen and TV host Vanessa Minnillo since 2010 and they have three children together.
Robin Wright & Sean Penn – $60 Million
Nowadays, Robin is working hard filming the role of Claire Underwood in House of Cards. The former Forrest Gump star had an on and off relationship with Milk star Sean Penn and they had two children together. The pair officially divorced in 2009 and Robin got half of his net-worth.
Sean Penn still has a net worth of $150, so it seems that the actor is doing just fine.
Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon – $9 Million
Fans were in love with singing sensation Mariah Carey’s relationship to the Drumline and All That star, Nick Cannon. They married in 2008 and have twins together but sadly split six years later.
Carey has custody of the children but Cannon contributes every month to a trust for the kids. The kids are a critical part of the divorce settlement and it is written that the couple’s children aren’t allowed to call anyone mom and dad besides Mariah and Nick.
Burt Reynolds & Loni Anderson – $250K
The late Burt Reynolds was an American actor, director, and producer. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Character for his performance in Boogie Nights. He married actress Loni Anderson in 1988 and the two were married until 1993 during which they adopted a son together, Quincy.
They split in what was a very nasty divorce, the divorce apparently brought on by Reynolds falling for a cocktail waitress. Reynolds declared bankruptcy before he paid Anderson the entire divorce settlement and only was able to pay her the remaining money in 2014.
Britney Spears & Kevin Federline – $1 Million
The pop princess Britney Spears has always been the focus of media attention since the release of her first studio album Hit Me Baby One More Time in 1999. We all gawked in excitement when the singer dated her former costar on The Mickey Mouse Club, Justin Timberlake.
Britney is infamous for having short marriages. Her very public relationship to Kevin Federline was for a brief time all over the tabloids. We say brief because they were only married for two years. Britney filed for divorce and Kevin got $1 million plus child support.
Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman – $214 Million
Rain Man actor Tom Cruise married his second wife actress Nicole Kidman in 1990. The two met while filming the movie Days of Thunder. They were married for just over 10 years during which they adopted two children.
The marriage ended in good terms, and they chose to settle the divorce privately rather than in a nasty public court battle. Kidman still talks of her love and adoration of Cruise.
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes – $10 Million
The world went crazy when Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise started to date and got married and had a daughter, Suri. They went even crazier after their six year marriage ended in divorce.
They split in 2012 reportedly due to Tom Cruises’ growing obsession with Scientology. Katie wasn’t a fan and was reportedly worried about their daughter’s well-being. There aren’t very many details about the divorce settlement just like the Church of Scientology’s doctrine.
Chris Rock & Malaak Compton-Rock – $35 Million
Comedian and former cast member of Saturday Night Live, Chris Rock and Malaak Compton were married for 18 years. Malaak is the founder of StyleWorks, a non-profit salon that provides free services to women leaving welfare and entering the workplace.
Sadly, Chris cheated on her with three different women and has admitted that the divorce was a wake up call. He also confessed to dealing with a porn addiction. The four-time Emmy Award winner and three-time Grammy winner has since started dating actress Megalyn Echikunwoke.
Johnny Depp & Amber Heard – $7 Million
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard had a beautiful Island wedding ceremony. However, not even an island wedding is enough to make a marriage last and they split after 15 months together. Amber Heard not only filed for divorce but she also filed a restraining order against the actor.
They had a messy divorce and the actress model donated her settlement money to charity, specifically to organizations which fight against domestic violence against women. That says enough.
Phil Collins & Orianne Cevey – $47 Million
The English drummer, singer, songwriter that is Phil Collins has won eight Grammy Awards. He is one of only two recording artists (the other being Paul McCartney) who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide as a solo artist and as member of a band.
Him and Orianne Cevey have quite the marriage story. They were married from 1999-2008 then got divorced and then got married again in 2016. Apparently, however, Orianne has not returned the money she received in their divorce settlement. We’re sure though that the money didn’t put a dent in Collins' $260 million bank account.
James Cameron & Linda Hamilton – $50 Million
The legendary, award-winning director James Cameron, has graced us with such iconic films as Titanic and Avatar, which are also the two highest-grossing films of all time. Along with some other high-paid celebrities on the list, Cameron has been married five times.
He and Linda Hamilton began their affair while filming Terminator 2 together in 1991. Cameron was married at the time. Their marriage ended after only 18 months since Hamilton found out that Cameron was cheating on her with Suzy Amis.
Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva – $80 Million
The college sweethearts married in 1978, before Kevin Costner’s fame. Their marriage lasted for sixteen years during which they had three kids and Kevin Costner became an award-winning actor and director of such films as Dancing With Wolves and Field of Dreams.
By the time of their divorce, Costner had already had a successful career and Silva received $80 million from the divorce settlement.
Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving – $100 Million
What started as an adorable love story ended in a pretty expensive divorce. Amy was a young and aspiring actress and Steven had just directed his first blockbuster film. Their marriage only lasted from 1984-1989.
Unfortunately for Spielberg, the judge deemed their prenup invalid as it had been written on a napkin. However, the director of some of the highest grossing films of all time can afford the settlement as costly as it is.
Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall – Between $15-$20 Million
In 1991, lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and actress model Jerry Hall married in the exotic Bali, Indonesia. However, 8 years later, their fairy tale marriage ended after Hall discovered that Mick had an affair with Brazilian model Luciana Moran and got her pregnant.
It seems that as one of the most influential figures in rock and roll you have one too many temptations. Jagger is the father to eight children with five different women.
Dr. Phil McGraw & Debbie Higgins – Approx. $1 Million
Dr. Phil McGraw is an author, psychologist, and host of the talk show Dr. Phil. Dr. Phil first found success when he appeared weekly on the Oprah Winfrey show as a relationship and life strategy expert. He then proceeding to produce 4 top-selling books on life and relationships. He married his first wife ex-cheerleader and homecoming queen Debbie Higgins McCall when he was only 20-years-old, long before his fame began.
Their marriage lasted only three years from 1970 to 1973 and Higgins has since stated that McGraw was domineering in the relationship. Dr. Phil has been remarried to Robin McGraw now for over 30 years, so perhaps the psychologist sought therapy of his own following his first divorce.
Teddy Landau & Michelle Branch – Approx. $300 000
Singer-songwriter and actress Michelle Branch married bass player Teddy Landau in 2004. The Grammy-award winner and her husband had a daughter Owen one year after they tied the knot.
In 2015, they couple divorced. Michelle has since moved on to Patrick Carney of The Black Keys and the two recently had a baby together.
Hilary Duff & Mike Comrie – $2.5 Million
We absolutely love Lizzie McGuire, AKA Hilary Duff. We were psyched when she got married to former professional hockey player Mike Comrie in 2015. They had an adorable son together, Luca.
We were sad to hear of their marriage ending, six years later. We are happy to see Hilary look happy again with her new husband Matt Koma and the pair recently welcomed a baby girl in late October.
Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale – $2.5 Million
Co-founder and lead singer of No Doubt, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer and guitarist for Bush met around 1995 when No Doubt and headlining band Bush performed at a holiday concert for radio station KROQ. They tied the knot in 2002 in St. Pauls, Covent Garden, London and celebrated two weeks later with a second wedding in Los Angeles.
During the span of their relationship, they had three sons together. Sadly, they split up and in 2006 their divorce was finalized and Stefani agreed to an unequal split of their assets.
Alec Baldwin & Kim Basinger – Approx. $3 Million
Actor Alec Baldwin and member of the Baldwin acting iclan and actress Kim Basinger met and fell in love while acting together in the 1990 film The Marrying Man. They got married three years later and had a daughter together, Ireland. Their love story came to an ultimate end in 2002 when the couple divorced, and then things turned for the worse. Alec later released his book A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce in which he shares of his seven-year battle to sustain a relationship with his daughter following the divorce.
He claims that his ex-wife Kim tried to deny him access to their daughter, spending over $1.5 million to do so. As a result of his anger regarding the situation, he left a voicemail for his 11-year-old daughter, calling her a "rude, thoughtless, little pig." The voicemail was leaked to the public and Alec contemplated suicide over the act.
Prince Charles & Princess Diana – $23 Million
It seemed like Princes Charles (now King Charles III) and Princess Diana had a love you only see in the movies. In February 1981 they got engaged and the world was ecstatic. The entire world watched as they formed their little family of four with Princes William and Harry. With all of their noble duties and responsibilities of being parents, they still found time to be active with various humanitarian organizations.
The world was also there to witness their very public and nasty divorce in 1996. Only one year later, Princess Diana died in a car accident after being chased by the paparazzi.
Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren – $750 Million
Legend golfer Tiger Woods and Swedish former model Elin Nordegren met in 2001 at the Open Championship. Most of us know that they have two children together and that their marriage ended in a very public divorce after it was revealed that Woods was having an affair.
As the highest-paid athlete in the world for a number of years, Woods could afford to pay Elin the divorce settlement of $750 million. Plus, she totally deserved it... although we do feel bad that the athlete's personal issues were made so public.
Kelsey & Camille Grammer – $30 Million
In 1996, Kelsey Grammer, AKA Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcoms Cheers and Frasier, went on a date with former Playboy model Camille Donatacci. The two ended up tying the knot together in 1997 and had two children as well as several homes around the US. Their marriage took a plunge and in 2010, Donatacci filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
The five-time Primetime Emmy Award winner has had a successful career but his marriage resume hasn't been as successful. He is currently married to his fourth wife, former flight attendant, Kaytey Walsh.
Johnny Carson & Joanna Holland – $20 Million
The late talk show host, comedian, writer, and legend Johnny Carson was married four times. Besides being famous for hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, he was also infamous for the number of times he was married.
He announced his third marriage to former model Joanna Holland at his Carson Tonight Show’s 10th-anniversary party. They were married from 1972-1985. Johnny’s next marriage also ended in divorce. Maybe fifth time's the charm...
Kenny & Marianne Rogers – $60 Million
Country music icon Kenny Rogers was married to actress Marianne Gordon from 1977-1993. During their marriage, they had one son together, Christopher. After 15 years together, their marriage wasn’t working anymore and the pair split and brought on a divorce attorney.
Kenny is one of the best selling artists of all time who has received many awards including AMAs and Grammys. So, when it came time for the divorce settlement, the Country Music Hall of Fame member could afford to hand over $60 million.
Greg Norman & Laura Andrassy – $103 Million
Australian pro-golfer Greg Norman spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 Official World Golf Rankings ranked golfer in the 80s and 90s. He won 91 international tournaments, including 20 PGA Tour tournaments and two majors: The Open Championships in 1986 and 1993.
He married flight attendant Laura Andrassy in 1981. They were married until 2007 during which they had two children together- Greg Norman, Jr. and Morgan-Leigh. He left Andrassy for World No. 1 Chris Evert in 2006, however their relationship also fizzled after a year.
Ron Perelman & Ellen Barkin – $20 Million
You’re looking at America’s 36th richest man with a net worth of around $12.7 billion. Ladies and gentlemen, Rob Perelman. He married his 4th wife in 1999, actress Ellen Barkin. They met at a Vanity Fair Oscar after-party and married after one year of dating.
Their marriage only lasted for five years and was apparently a rocky road for the two. Barkins' acting career brought a lot of strife into the relationship due to her hectic travel schedule. Apparently, Ellen’s divorce attorney secured her a settlement between $20-$65 million and required Perelman to invest a couple million dollars in the film production that Barkin and her brother George had started.
Jennifer Lopez & Chris Judd – $14 Million
Jennifer Lopez's life has always attracted media attention. In 2013, the star received the Forbes' title as the most powerful celebrity in the world, a pretty huge title to carry. After breaking up with Sean Combs, the most influential Latin performer in the United States moved on to date former backup dancer Chris Judd.
They were married briefly from September 2001 to June 2002. Was the year of marriage really worth $14 million?
Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt – $400 Million
Brangelina was the Hollywood ‘it’ couple. The two award-winning actors started their relationship in 2006 after working together on the film Mr. and Mrs. Smith the previous year. Their scandalous relationship had the tabloids going crazy. Jolie was accused of having instigated the 2005 divorce of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. They didn't make their marriage official until 2014 when they tied the knot at their estate Chateua Miraval in Correns, France.
Over the course of their 12-year-relationship, they grew their Brangelina clan to three biological children and three children who they adopted internationally. In 2016, they sadly ended their marriage. Their widely publicized divorce cost around $400 million.
Harold Hamm & Sue Ann Arnall – $975 Million
Harold Hamm is an entrepreneur who is one of the most important figures in the oil and gas industry. He has a net worth of about $14.2 billion. He married Sue Ann Arnall, an economist and lawyer in 1988, and they were married for 17 years during which they had two daughters. They divorced in 2005 but their divorce papers were filed only in 2012.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, "She rejected a divorce settlement check in the amount of $974,790.317.77, stating that it "would jeopardize her appeal" with Mr. Hamm. However, she soon thereafter deposited the $975 million settlement check.
Frank & Jamie McCourt – $130 Million
Businessman and Chairman of McCourt LP, Frank McCourt, is also the owner of Dodgers Stadium and Fox Entertainment group. In 1979, he married his college sweetheart, Jamie, and they had four sons together. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2011 and their respective divorce attorneys were met with some heavy opposition.
With a net worth of over 1 billion, Frank could spare the $130 million in the divorce settlement. He has since remarried to Monica Algarra and the couple have a daughter together, Luciana Hayes McCourt.
Mel Gibson & Robyn Moore – $425 Million
In the late 1970’s when Mel Gibson was still an aspiring actor he fell in love with a dental nurse named Robyn Moore. They tied the knot in 1980 and were married for 26 years, during which Gibson produced, directed, and performed in such movies as Braveheart. Together they have a daughter and six sons.
Gibson admitted in 2011 that their marriage culminated after his drunk driving incident. Gibson took a long 10-year-hiatus from acting until 2006, following several legal issues and controversial statements which were leaked to the public.
Lionel Richie & Diane Richie – $25 Million
Singer and five-time Grammy winner Lionel Richie had an affair with Diane Alexander while he was married to his first wife and college sweetheart, Brenda Harvey. Lionel and Brenda got divorced after 18 years in 1993 so that he could pursue his relationship with Diane. The two also divorced 8 years after having two children together, Miles and Sofia.
Considering that Lionel has sold over 90 million records worldwide and has a net worth of $200 million, we think his bank account survived the $25 million divorce settlement just fine.
Donald & Ivana Trump – $25 Million
It's no secret that the former U.S president Donald Trump has been married three times. The former businessman and TV personality married his first wife at age 30, Czech model Ivana Zelníčková. Together, they have three children; Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. The two got divorced in 1992, after Ivana found out that Donald was having an affair with actress Marla Maples. Their divorce was the subject of a lot of media attention, and it was featured on New York tabloids newspapers' covers for 11 days in a row.
The following year Donald married Marla (which also ended in divorce six years later). In 2017, Ivana released her autobiography, Raising Trump, in which she shares about her upbringing and the early days of raising children with Donald.
Craig McCaw & Wendy Petrak – $450 Million
The founder of McCaw Cellular, Craig McCaw successfully sold his company to AT&T for over $12 billion. His marriage to California newspaper publisher Wendy Petrak wasn’t as successful and the two divorced after 21 years of marriage in 1995.
She must have had a convincing divorce attorney considering that she walked away with $450 million. Craig is no longer on the list of the 400 wealthiest Americans, but with a net worth of over one billion dollars, we somehow don't feel so bad.
Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison – $118 Million
Indiana Jones star and Hans Solo, also known as the iconic actor Harrison Ford, was married to his second wife, screenwriter, Melissa Mathison for 17 years before their marriage came to an end in 2004. The pair had two children together, Malcolm and Georgia.
Harrison Ford has a net worth of around $240 million and still their divorce settlement of $118 million seems a bit steep. Still, with five of his films being in the 30 top-grossing films of all times, we're sure he's bounced back.
Alec & Jocelyn Wildenstein – $2.5 Billion
Billionaire businessman Alec Wildenstein and Jocelyn Perisse met when she was a guest at Ol Jogi Ranch in Kenya. They got married in 1978 and divorced 21 years later in a huge divorce settlement with Jocelyn getting $2.5 billion in addition to $100 million every year for 13 years. Their two-year divorce proceedings gained wide media coverage.
The couple is remembered most for their extensive plastic surgeries, specifically Jocelyn who got catlike features to satisfy Alec’s desires. During the divorce settlement, the judge ruled that Jocelyn could not use the money for plastic surgery. That was a great call on his part.
Bernie & Slavica Ecclestone – $1 Billion
British businessman Bernie Ecclestone was married to the Croatian international model Slavica for 23 years. Despite the 28-year age difference between the pair plus the very obvious language barrier at the beginning of their relationship, their love was strong for many years during which they had two children.
Love, however, wasn’t enough to keep the two together (and neither was money) and they divorced. They both hired a divorce attorney in 2009 to dispute on the divorce settlement. Slavica meanwhile walked away with a hefty amount of money, $1 billion.
Heidi Klum & Seal – $70 Million
We loved Heidi and Seal together and we were surprised and sad to see them split. The singer and model duo married in 2005 and even renewed their vows to each other every year on their wedding day in front of family and friends.
They were married for seven years before calling it quits. They have three biological children together and Seal adopted Heidi’s daughter from her first marriage. Heidi and Seal announced that they were separating in January 2012, after nearly seven years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in 2014.
Rupert Murdoch & Wendi Deng – $1.8 Million
Just a mere 17 days after Murdoch divorced Anna Maria Torv, the $19.3 billion Australian media mogul tied the knot with Chinese-born and Yale graduate Wendi Deng. 17 days! You just can’t make these kinds of things up. At the time, Rupert was 68, while Wendi, 30.
Well, that marriage lasted surprisingly long but also ended in divorce 14 years later. They had two daughters together, Grace and Chloe.With rash marriage choices like that, it isn’t surprising that Murdoch has been married four times and is the father to six children.
David Hasselhoff & Pamela Bach – $5 Million
This is definitely one of the strangest settlements out there. In 1989, Baywatch hunk, David Hasselhoff and actress Pamela Bach got married. They had two daughters together over the span of their marriage.
In 2006, David announced that he was filing for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Hasselhoff has struggled with alcoholism, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Pamela got $5 million from the divorce settlement while the Guinness World record holder of the most watched man on TV got his name “The Hoff.” We’re pretty sure that’s a win for him.
Eddie & Nicole Murphy – $15 Million
Comedian actor Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell met in 1988 at an NAACP Image Awards show. A few years later, in 1993, they tied the knot at the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The model-comedian duo had five children together: Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, and Bella.
Sadly, the children couldn't keep the two together and they got divorced in 2006. Considering Murphy’s success, from projects like Shrek and The Nutty Professor, he definitely could have paid more than $15 million but they had signed a prenuptial agreement. This was unfortunate for Nicole who is reportedly in debt.
Michael Jordan & Juanita Vanoy – $168 Million
Basketball legend Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy met on a blind date in 1984. They had two sons together, Jefferey Michael and Marcus James. Seventeen years later they divorced. When their divorce was finalized in 2007, they held the record for the most expensive celebrity divorce. Another record to add to Jordan’s already long list of achievements, we’re sure just not the kind he’s proud of.
But, one thing is for certain, the greatest basketball player of all time could afford to hand over the hefty cost, considering his net worth of 1.7 billion dollars.
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos - $140 Billion
Amazon tycoon, Jeff Bezos met his now ex-wife Mackenzie in 1992, when she was working in one of his hedge funds. They quickly got married in 1993 and became one of the richest couples in history. They went on to have 4 children (three sons and an adopted daughter from China). After 25 years of marriage, the couple announced it would be divorcing in 2019.
Jeff Bezos is said to have fallen for another woman, Lauren Sanchez, an actor and helicopter pilot. Even though divorces are never simple, it's good to know that these two at least ended in amicable terms (as much as they could). The question now is, will this be the most expensive divorce settlement ever?! Bezos' fortune comes mainly from Amazon, and since there is no prenuptial agreement, Mackenzie technically has the right to take half of the company. But, what does this mean for Amazon's future, it's workers, and most importantly, its customers? Only time will tell...
Rupert Murdoch & Anna Maria Torv – $1.2 Billion
Scottish journalist Anna Mann and Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch married in 1967. Anna worked for his Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph. She was Rupert’s second wife. 32 years later, the pair divorced in 1999. During their marriage, they had three children together: Elisabeth Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, and James Murdoch.
Right before their separation, Murdoch was made a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great, a papal honour awarded by Pope John Paul II. Their divorce settlement of a staggering $1.2 billion was mind blowing, but considering Murdoch’s net worth of $18.1 billion, he’ll be okay.
Michael & Diandra Douglas – $45 Million
In 1977, Wall Street actor Michael Douglas married Diandra Luker, daughter of an Austrian Diplomat. The age difference was clearly visible between the two, with him being 32-years-old while she was just 19-years-old at the time.
It seems like the 13-year age difference had its impact on the couple and they divorced in 1995. They had a son together, Cameron, one year after their wedding. The generous divorce settlement of $45 million didn't put much of a dent on Michael's $300 million net worth.
Dmitry & Elena Rybolovleva – $4.5 Billion
Elena Rybolovleva filed for divorce from Russian businessman and investor Dmitry Rybolovlev. She cited his "serial infidelity," for their divorce stating that he used to "share his young conquests with his friends, and other oligarchs." That just ain't cool.
At first, the courts awarded Elena a staggering $4.5 billion in the settlement in 2014, but after Dmitry appealed, she was granted "only" $604 million.
Demi Moore & Bruce Willis – $90 Million
Just like Demi and Bruce’s marriage was very public, their divorce also had everyone talking. The Die Hard actor was Demi's second husband. Their marriage lasted for 11 years during which they had three daughters together, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah.
Their marriage ended in 2000 and Willis made a public statement saying that “he had failed as a father and husband.” Willis credited Will Smith for helping him deal with the situation. Willis and Moore have maintained a good relationship with one another since the divorce.
Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey – $150 million
The singer-songwriter, musician, and actor Neil Diamond married production assistant Marcia Murphey in 1969. Their marriage lasted for 25 years during which they had two sons, Jesse and Micah.
Marcia accused Neil of having an affair countless times which led to the pair’s divorce. Neil's current net worth is $175 million so it seems like the divorce settlement may have set him back a lot.
Madonna & Guy Ritchie – $92 Million
Madonna and director Guy Ritchie met in November 1998. Ritchie is known for his crime films and has directed such films like Snatch, Revolver, and Sherlock Holmes. He became Madonna's second husband in Scotland in 2000 in an impromptu wedding at the stunning Skibo Castle. A short time later, Madonna gave birth to their son, Rocco. In 2006, they adopted together David, from Malawi.
Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t work out and Madonna filed for divorce just two years later. The marriage ended by decree nisi. Luckily, they came to an agreement regarding their children. Ritchie has since moved on to model Jacqui Ainsley and the two have three children together.
Paul McCartney & Heather Mills – $48.6 Million
The legendary English bass guitarist and singer of The Beatles, Paul McCartney married former model Heather Mills in a stunning ceremony at Castle Leslie in Ireland. They have one child together, Beatrice. They both did not expect to be divorcing only six years after they got married.
Mills was her own representative for all of the divorce proceedings. McCartney later said that she was gutsy to do this. With his net worth of over $1 billion, the divorce settlement surely was of no inconvenience to his bank account. Through her former marriage to Paul, Heather is entitled to the title of Heather Mills, Lady McCartney, although she doesn't go by it.
Steve & Elaine Wynn – $741 million
Businessman and art collector Steve Wynn married Elaine originally in 1963. They were married until 1986. During their marriage, they founded together Mirage resorts in 1976. The couple divorced for the first time in 1986. They reunited a few years later in 1991 and thought that maybe their marriage would work out the second time around. Well, it once again flopped in 2010. During their second marriage, they co-founded Wynn resorts together.
Steve very publicly split the Wynn Resort share with Elaine and she walked away with $750 million in Wynn stock in the divorce settlement. I guess it was a good idea to marry him for the second time. Today, Steve still serves as the CEO with Elaine as the board director.
$3 million (+)
We thought Kim and Kanye would make it to the end, but sadly, their love wasn’t meant to last. Kim filed for divorce after seven years of marriage and four children.
While the couple has a combined net worth of $2.1 billion, a prenuptial agreement protected most of their individual assets. What's more, the couple waived spousal support. West is ordered to pay $200 000 in child support every month, and on top of that, the couple will share their children's tuition and children's security costs 50/50. As for their properties, they're split in accordance with their prenup.
Approximately $800 million
One of the most iconic hip-hop artists of all time, Dr. Dre, divorced his wife Nicole Young after twenty-four years of marriage. While the numbers are not finalized, Dr. Dre’s millions are up for grabs.
The pair did opt to have a prenup agreed to before getting married, but it still could get costly for the hip-hop mogul. He is estimated to be worth 800 million dollars, and you can bet if Nicole has her way he could be losing up to half of that.
$63 million
Jennifer Aniston, America’s sweetheart, split with her partner Justin Theroux in 2018. The couple was together for nine years, two of them being married. However, there is ambiguity with those last two years of marriage, and the question of whether they were legally married at all!
This could help protect Jennifer’s finances even more, along with the prenup the couple agreed to when they “wed.” It's yet to be seen how Justin and Jen sort it out but based on her making $63 million during their time together, it could get costly...especially if that prenup is not as ironclad as she thinks.
$1.3 million (+)
Kelly Clarkson should have been warned that her divorce could also be costly when she married into the McEntire family. Mrs. Clarkson married Brandon Blackstock, the stepson of country star Reba McEntire, in 2013 and they spent seven years together.
The couple filed for divorce in 2020, and the proceedings were finalized in 2022. The first “American Idol” winner now has to pay a one-time sum of $1.3 million, monthly child support of $45,601, and monthly spousal support of $115,000. Yikes!
$3 million
Country music superstar, Kacey Musgraves separated from her husband Ruston Kelly, after two and a half years of marriage. While the couple didn’t get messy during the divorce, Kacey still had to sell their house and split the earned revenue from the time they were together.
She is worth an estimated 10 million dollars, and luckily she gets to keep a majority of it. On the bright side, she now has new material for her next album. Silver lining!
Approximately $4.1 million
After marrying young, LeAnn Rimes and Dean Sheremet decided to get divorced young as well. At the time, Rimes had an estimated net worth of 10 million dollars, and she was going to have to part ways with some of it during the proceedings.
While the final amount of the divorce remains private, Rimes did have to sell their home which only sold for $4.1 million compared to their asking price of $7.45 million. She then married Eddie Cibrian two years later, and for her wallet’s sake, we hope this one lasts.
$80 million
A true country music power couple, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert split after four years of marriage. Rumors of infidelity surrounded both parties, and that may have led to their demise.
The pair was estimated to be worth $160 million combined, but lucky for both of them they signed a prenup before joining forces. The specifics of the divorce are still private, but the two agreed to split all shared assets and now happily are with different partners. Seems like they've both moved on. Blake with new wife Gwen Stefani and Miranda with new hubby Brendan McLoughlin.
$200 million
The Shania Twain/Robert Lange matrimony only lasted 14 years, but that didn’t mean the divorce would be cheap. She is worth an amazing 400 million dollars while her husband is worth 225 million dollars.
The divorce did not leave either of them broke, but who they chose to date after got a little weird. Robert ended up two-timing Shania with her friend Marie-Anne Thiebaud, and a few years later Shania married Marie-Anne’s ex-husband. We may never understand ultrarich people.
$125 million
You may think if you know a person for longer it will make it easier (or at least cheaper) if you two do divorce. Well, that is not the case; just ask Garth Brooks. He married his college sweetheart, Sandy Mahl, in 1986 and divorced in 2000.
The couple had a net worth of 400 million dollars, and he had to pay her a cool $125 million of that in the divorce settlement. This just reminds us that when money is involved, even things between college sweethearts can get messy.
$ 6.6 million (+)
Slash, the lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses, divorced his wife of 13 years, Perla Ferrar in 2014. The divorce was contentious and took them a LONG 4 years to settle. It ended up costing the guitarist a lump sum of $6.6 million, $100,000 per month in spousal support, and $39,000 a month in child support.
Luckily, he was able to keep his music and guitars and continues to shred with Guns N’ Roses to this day. Good thing too, because he needs a way to pay back both of those supports.
$20 million
After the former “Today” host Matt Lauer was disgraced, his troubles didn’t stop. He and his wife of nearly 20 years Annette Rose divorced in September 2019 and she took a whopping $20 million with her.
It forced him to sell his $44 million house in the Hamptons and other assets just to pay for it. Although they signed a “postnup” after their initial separation she still was able to take home a large bag of Matt’s money. Good for her!
Unknown
Adele probably wishes she signed a prenup before marrying Simon Konecki in a secret marriage in 2012. It would have helped keep her share of the $180 million she is worth. The details of the divorce and payout are not open to the public, but we assume it was a large amount.
While it cost her a pretty penny, the divorce did inspire one of her albums, and she has found love since. We know she was thinking "nevermind I'll find someone like you!"
€550 million
While some people may not recognize the names of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum & Princess Haya bint al-Hussein immediately, they are responsible for one of the most expensive divorces ever recorded in the UK’s history.
The ruler of the Emirate of Dubai had to pay his wife €550 million during the settlement. That’s over half a billion euros! Now she can wave to him from her yacht next time they bump into each other in Monaco.
$1.4 million
“Real House Wives of Orange County” stars Shannon and David Beador settled for $1.4 million in 2019. The couple has three children between them and MANY assets. The divorce negotiations got ugly and lasted for nearly two years.
While they finally settled, we can’t imagine the stress from it all. It also doesn’t help to have camera crews documenting every stage of the process.
Approximately $20 million
Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen’s marriage didn’t last long. The couple only stayed together for three years, and it was volatile near the end. Richards accused Charlie of numerous allegations and the pair split shortly after that, in 2006.
At the time, Sheen had a net worth of $100 million and Denise was worth $12 million. His number has since dwindled down to 10 million, and we can only assume that is partly from the settlement and child support he had to pay.
$12.5 million
Britain's sweetheart, Colin Firth split with his wife Livia Giuggioli after 22 years of marriage. They first met in 1996 on BBC’s “Nostromo” and married shortly after. The partnership lasted until 2019 when Livia had an extramarital relationship with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia.
Family close to the couple weren’t surprised by the divorce, but Colin’s bank account was. In total, the settlement cost him $12.5 million dollars, and you can bet he will be signing a prenup next time!
$130 million
When tennis star Andre Agassi hooked up with movie star and model Brooke Sheilds the world thought their matrimony would stand the test of time. Sadly, it did not, and the couple divorced two years later.
Although it was a short marriage it still cost Agassi $130 million for the settlement! The shocking sum certainly put pressure on the tennis champ to win a few more tournaments.
$ 75 million (+)
Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine Kobe divorced after 10 years of marriage. In addition to the legal fees, Kobe was also ordered to pay Vanessa $75 million in their divorce settlement.
Not a small amount of money for the NBA superstar. The couple eventually found their way back to one another and seemed happy for the rest of their time together until Kobe's tragic passing.
$30 million
Former NBA player, Kenny Anderson had to pay his ex-wife Tami Roman $30 million to settle their divorce. After numerous extra martial affair allegations against Kenny, the writing was on the wall for their divorce.
We think if we find ourselves in that situation, it might be cheaper to have an open marriage than think about a divorce. Just think of all the money that could've been saved!
$26 million
In 2010, Cheryl Tweedy divorced then-Chelsea soccer player, Ashley Cole, after four years of marriage. The romance ended after a slurry of rumors dealing with infidelity around the soccer star.
Worst of all, Cheryl had gotten Ashley’s name tattooed onto her shortly after their wedding. Hopefully, Cherly used some of the nearly $26 million Ashley paid during the settlement to get that tattoo removed before her next relationship.
$7 million
Sugar Ray Leonard, one of the most feared boxers of his time, had to cough up $7 million to settle his divorce with first wife Juanita Wilkinson. The pair met when they were teenagers living in DC, and after getting pregnant out of wedlock, the couple married. They were together for 10 years.
Luckily for Sugar Ray, they had signed a prenup and Juanita only received a portion of his $50 million net worth. Since then they have both found love and are now happy with their new partners.
€8 million
French soccer star, Thierry Henry, divorced Claire Merry in 2008 after reaching a settlement reported to be worth € 8 million euros. It was a nasty divorce and was only made worse because their daughter got caught in the middle of it.
The marriage only lasted for four years, but still cost Thierry Henry a bunch of money in the end. We think he is doing better, and being a sports commentator has been financially fruitful even after his athletic career ended.
$10 million
Primetime, aka Deion Sanders, had to pay Pilar Biggers $10 million to settle their divorce. The couple was together for 12 years and had three children together.
This is the second time Deion has had to divorce a partner, although the second cost a lot more. People say “third time is a charm,” but we don’t know if Deion wants to risk his money again...
$9 million
During her time on the court, Justine Henin was a force to be reconned with. She reached the title of number one tennis player in the world and holds over 40 WTA singles tennis titles along with seven Grand Slam titles to her name.
None of those, however, stopped her from paying $9 million to former husband Pierre-Yves Hardenne. The five-year marriage ended with Justine paying a hefty sum and may have put too much stress on ending her tennis career early.
$6 million
Former baseball star Jose Canseco had to pay $6 million dollars to his ex-wife Esther Haddad to settle their divorce. This eventually forced him into bankruptcy along with tax evasion, and a variety of other factors.
His $45 million that he had amassed while playing quickly went out the door, and left Canseco scrambling. He is now worth $500,000, but things could be much worse. This is another reminder to be smart with your money and pay your taxes on time. The government will come for them.
$15 million
Nick Faldo has enjoyed his time as one of golf’s greats, but we bet he wishes he had some of his money back from his first two divorces. The break-up with Gill Bennet in 1995 had him lose $10 million, and his divorce with Valerie Bercher cost him $15 million.
While it was less than what Tiger Woods had to pay out, it was still a lot of money. Let’s hope his third marriage lasts because you can bet the payout would be well above $15 million if he had a third divorce.
Unknown
Shane Warne, one of the most beloved Australian cricketers, had to pay his ex-wife Simone Callahan $10 million to settle their divorce.
The split came after allegations of infidelity from the former wicket-taker. The entire process was not easy for either of them and having three children in the middle of it doesn’t help either. We are glad they settled and both have moved on with their lives.
$4 million
Former heavyweight champion of the world Evander Holyfield paid his first wife Paulette $4 million in 1991 to settle their divorce. Their nuptials only lasted six years and infidelity was cited as the cause of divorce.
Holyfield grossed around $205 million in the ring, so $4 million of that doesn’t sound too bad. While losing money was never easy, he seemed to forget his pains quickly and married again shortly after. That one also ended in divorce, but we will see if he learns for his next time.
$5 million
After a long and ugly divorce, former NBA great, Dwyane Wade paid his former wife Siohvaughn Funches $5 million to settle. There were numerous allegations in the relationship as to why it ended, but either way, it didn’t seem like a healthy partnership.
Dwyane has since found love and is now with Gabrielle Union. We hope this one goes better than the previous one, for his and his wallet's happiness too.
$3 million
Former NBA MVP, Allen Iverson had to pay $3 million in his divorce settlement with his ex-wife, Tawanna Turner.
The couple was only together for two years, but due to various hardships including Iversons's numerous affairs and gambling habits, the two parted ways. Tawanna's settlement of $ 3 million roughly works out to $1.5 million for each year spent with him.
$100 million
One of the best big men in the NBA, Shaq O’Neal also had to pay a big payout for his divorce from Shaunie O’Neal in 2011. The total cost equaled either $5 million a year in alimony payments until she remarried or collected $100 million.
This is on top of the $100,000 a month he pays for child support! Luckily for Shaq, he is worth 400 million dollars, but it still hurts to lose that much money.
$20 million
Even billionaires aren’t immune to losing money during divorce; their settlements just cost more than most. Billionaire Elon Musk found this out when he divorced his college-sweetheart Justine Musk.
The couple had six children together, and have since gone their separate ways. The total payout was worth $20 million dollars, but to a billionaire that is a drop in the bucket.
$1 billion
Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, announced he and former wife Nicole Shanahan were splitting up after 3 years of marriage. They said they have “irreconcilable differences,” but we think it’s most likely because of the alleged affair between Nicole and Elon Musk.
Musk has since denied those allegations, but you can never be sure. Even with a prenup, Shanahan is seeing more than $1 billion in divorce settlement payments. No one wants to go through a divorce, but a payout like that cuts the edge a little.
Unknown
“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne filed for divorce from her husband, Tom Girardi, in 2020. This came after 21 years of marriage and was a shock to the fans of the show.
They had met while she was a waitress at one of his favorite restaurants and seemed happy to be together. But all is not what it seems. While it wasn’t ugly at first, not having a prenup might change that. We bet they will both have great lawyers and we will have to see how it all plays out.
Unknown
Jana Kramer and Mike Caussin's relationship never seemed easy, so it’s not a surprise to many that these two didn’t last.
Kramer filed for divorce in 2021 citing, "inappropriate marital conduct, irreconcilable differences, and adultery." This would be the second time the couple broke up, after a split in 2016. They did renew their vows in 2017 but finalized the divorce in 2021.
Unknown
After working together on “The Hart of Dixie,” couple Jamie King and Kyle Newman filed for divorce. This came after 13 years of marriage, but rumored allegations don’t shine a great light on the director.
Jamie had filed for a restraining order as well. While the terms and payout of the divorce are still being discussed, you can bet with the acquired wealth they have gained over the years it won’t come cheap.
Unknown
We thought these two would last, but like everyone on this list, it wasn’t meant to be. Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari seemed cute when they were together on “Just Cavallari”, her own reality tv show, but apparently, under the surface, things were much worse.
They were both stubborn people and butted heads constantly. The only time they were on the same page was in front of their kids. The ink is still drying after Kristin filed for divorce in 2020, but knowing how much they have made together as a couple we can only imagine the numbers that the settlement will become.
$5 million
After 22 years of marriage, Wendy Williams filed for divorce from Kevin Hunter in 2019. She cited the reason for the divorce as, “Kevin fathering a child with his mistress."
The divorce got ugly and now the pair only speak to each other when necessary. He is only worth $5 million but as a tv executive, we are sure she got all the money she could.
$720,000 (+)
One of the most widely recognized artists today, Mary J Blige filed for divorce from former hubby Martin “Kendu” Issac in July 2016. This was after 12 years of marriage, and many fights in between which ultimately lead to her leaving.
She ultimately paid her ex-husband $30,000 a month in spousal support for two years during the proceedings and settled for an undisclosed amount after. We can only imagine what it was, but with her net worth of $20 million, it had to be less than that.
Unknown
Stars of “The Real Housewives of New York City” Jules and Michael Wainstein filed for divorce in 2016. This came after she accused him of having an affair. This divorce turned ugly and Jules was arrested during the settlement discussions.
We are glad they finalized the papers in October of that year because we can only imagine how much more ugly it would have gotten.
Unknown
It seems that love is hard and even harder when it’s broadcasted to the world. That is what happened when Yolanda and David Foster from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” divorced in 2016.
While the split was amicable and Yolanda wishes the best for David, she still had to move out of their house. They did have a prenup so not a lot was lost.
Unknown
This couple from “The Real Housewives of New York City” found themselves filing for divorce in 2014. Romona and Mario Singer called it quits after 22 years of holy matrimony after his multiple affairs during their relationship.
While she didn’t get a multimillion-dollar settlement, Mario still had to sell multiple properties to pay for her spousal support. She is an avid businesswoman in her own right and will be able to support herself well into the future.
$1.3 billion
After 32 years of marriage, billionaire couple Bill and Sue Gross filed for divorce in 2017. She got $1.3 billion of his $2.5 billion in the settlement which included a $36 million house in Laguna Beach, multiple paintings, and other assets.
It turned ugly during litigation, but after the dust settled, they both have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.
Unknown
Actors Alexis Bledel and Vincent Kartheiser filed for divorce after 8 years of marriage. The two had met on the set of “Mad Men” and their relationship seemed great.
But like many things in Hollywood, marriage doesn't age well. The divorce is still fresh and needs time to settle the payments, but with her net worth of $9 million and his of $6 million, it won’t be a cheap settlement.
Unknown
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan filed for divorce in 2018 but still took them a few years to finalize a deal. The two were married for nine years, but even that couldn’t make the process better.
She had been seeking child support and spousal support and their biggest contention was the money made from the “Magic Mike” franchise. The exact numbers have not been released, but we guess it was a large amount.
Unknown
2000s pop and R&B icon Usher and his former wife Grace Miguel called it quits after two years of marriage.
While the settlement amount has been kept confidential it was probably large considering the "Yeah" singer's net worth of $190 million dollars. It was a mutual decision so we are glad it didn’t turn ugly, but we can't lie, we would've loved a juicier story!
Unknown
Sherri Shepherd and Lamar Sally Filed for divorce in May 2014. "The View" host’s divorce quickly soured when it was revealed the two were trying to have a baby through a surrogate.
She now has to pay $4,100 a month to her ex-husband who is raising the child. It’s not the most money we have heard of, but it will force her to put off retirement for a few more years.
$100 million
After filing for divorce, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin decided to split their $200 million fortune right down the middle.
The split has been amicable and they are often seen celebrating important events together. It’s good to see they are still talking because often divorce ends with a bad taste in both people’s mouths. However, losing $100 million is never easy.
$20.2 million
Elon Musk didn’t seem to learn his lesson from his first marriage and decided to try again with Talulah Riley. This time they actually divorced twice and she got $4.2 million in the first settlement and $16 million in the second.
For a person who is worth approximately $267.6 billion, you might think he could pay for people to advise him on his dating life, but he seems happy to pay the millions in divorce each time. We guess once you become that wealthy even giving away a few million isn’t that much to lose.