For most married couples who choose to divorce, it is typically a sad experience. However, the situation is quite different for wealthy and famous celebrities. The media is eager to uncover every detail about their divorce, including whether a third party was involved, who will get the house, which spouse initiated the divorce, and where the children will live. These public figures cannot avoid having their personal lives exposed to the public. Additionally, the pressing inquiry on everyone’s mind is how much the divorce will cost, and this article explores some of the most expensive celebrity divorces.
Rupert Murdoch & Wendi Deng – $1.8 Million
The CEO of News Corporation quickly tied the knot with Deng only 17 days after his previous divorce had been officially ended.
In June 2013, Murdoch made the decision to end his marriage with Deng as he was no longer satisfied with their relationship. As a result, he agreed to a settlement of $1.8 million.
Dmitry & Elena Rybolovlevi – $4.5 Billion
Following a 26-year long marriage, Dmitry and Elena decided to end their relationship.
After a lengthy six-year legal dispute, Dmitry had to surrender $4.5 billion to Elena, which amounted to half of his wealth. He ended up losing a significant amount of money.
Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey – $150 million
Murphey ended their marriage after 25 years and having two children, and received $150 million in the divorce settlement.
After word about Diamond’s infidelity began to circulate throughout Hollywood, Marcia’s chances of getting favorable treatment increased. Eventually, Diamond acknowledged that Marcia’s worth was substantial.
Robert & Sheila Johnson – $400 million
In 2002, Robert Johnson, the co-founder of BET, ended his 33-year marriage to his partner Sheila Johnson.
In the year 2000, Johnson sold BET to Viacom for $3 billion, two years prior to their divorce. Sheila received $400 million from the sale.
Michael & Diandra Douglas – $45 Million
In 1977, Michael Douglas tied the knot with Diandra, and within a year, they welcomed a son into the world.
Diane initiated divorce proceedings in the year 1995. Eventually, Diandra was granted a settlement amount of $45 million, which constituted 50% of the actor’s total assets during the divorce settlement.
Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren – $750 Million
Tiger Woods’ image was completely destroyed following the revelation of his unfaithful actions with numerous women he did not have a committed relationship with.
In 2010, Woods and his former spouse Elin Nordegren ended their marriage after being together for six years. According to reports, Tiger had to provide a sum of $750 million as a settlement in their divorce.
Bernie & Slavica Ecclestone – $1 Billion
Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone created a sensation for all the negative reasons when they reached a divorce agreement worth a staggering $1 billion.
Without any delay, Slavica invested the money and managed to turn it into a whopping $1.6 billion, proving her capability to handle a divorce impressively.
Alec & Jocelyn Wildenstein – $2.5 Billion
Alec Wildenstein, a French businessman and billionaire, was compelled to give Jocelyn a total sum of $2.5 billion.
Jocelyn, who spent $2 million on plastic surgery, believed that altering her appearance would make her spouse stay with her. She is widely recognized for having undergone numerous cosmetic procedures.
Rupert Murdoch & Anna Maria Torv – $1.2 Billion
In 1999, the couple who had been together for 32 years and had three children together separated.
Murdoch accumulated a total of $8 billion in his possession while Torv was granted $1.2 billion through their divorce settlement.
Allen And Tawanna Iverson – $32 Million
Tawanna, who had been married for 24 years and had five children with her husband, decided to initiate a divorce proceeding after her husband incurred a significant debt of $150 million.
During the divorce proceedings, Allen expressed his financial struggles to his spouse by stating his inability to even afford a cheeseburger. Upon hearing this, Tawanna gave him $61, showing her kindness. Although Allen begged Tawanna to reconsider, she eventually filed for divorce again in 2013. This time, the court awarded her everything outlined in the post-nuptial agreement, an astounding $32 million.
Demi Moore & Bruce Willis – $90 Million
Demi and Bruce tied the knot for a period of 11 years and are parents to three daughters.
In the year 2000, they got divorced and Bruce expressed his feeling of failing as a father and husband. Demi, on the other hand, started a new relationship with a younger man named Ashton Kutcher and received a settlement of $90 million.
Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving – $100 Million
After being married for three and a half years, the couple came to a mutual agreement to end their marriage.
Ultimately, Amy Irving received a settlement of $100 million from the divorce, which may appear significant, but it was a small fraction of Spielberg’s net worth, exceeding $5 billion.
Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison – $118 Million
Regardless of being married for 17 years and having two kids, this ill-fated Hollywood pair could not be rescued.
In 2001, Ford and Mathison went through a divorce. Since they did not have a prenuptial agreement, Mathison received a total of $118 million from Ford’s finances.
Craig McCaw & Wendy Petrak – $450 Million
Craig McCaw, the creator of McCaw Cellular, wedded Wendy Petrak for 21 years before vending his company to AT&T for more than $12 billion.
The couple separated in 1995 after McCaw initiated divorce proceedings. In the settlement of their divorce, Petrak received $450 million in cash.
Madonna & Guy Ritchie – $92 Million
The union of Madonna and Guy Ritchie ended after a mere seven years.
Fortunately, the absence of a prenuptial agreement worked in Guy’s favor, and he received a substantial sum of money ranging from $76 to $92 million as a component of the divorce resolution.
Lionel Richie & Diane Richie – $25 Million
The singer and his wife, Diane Alexander, ended their marriage after a period of seven years.
Following a prolonged legal conflict, Diana received the couple’s $5 million house and a one-time payment of $20 million, causing a significant loss in the artist’s wealth.
Mel Gibson & Robyn Moore – $425 Million
Mel’s DUI arrest in 2006 led to Robyn’s ultimate decision to file for divorce, ending their 26-year long relationship.
Due to the absence of a prenuptial agreement, Robyn received half of Mel’s wealth during their divorce settlement, which amounted to approximately $425 million.
Jeff Bezos And MacKenzie Bezos – $66 Billion
There are advantages to being in a marriage with the wealthiest man in the world, but separating from him isn’t too shabby either. Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon with a net worth of around $137 billion, has used Twitter to publicize his decision to get a divorce from his wife, MacKenzie.
MacKenzie, who started the company with her husband during their marriage, may have the right to claim 50% of his enormous Amazon-related wealth, which amounts to a remarkable $66 billion! This poses a significant obstacle for Bezos, as he will be required to either sell or pledge shares in order to finance such a massive settlement, which in turn could decrease his authority over the corporation.
Frank & Jamie McCourt – $130 Million
Until their tumultuous separation in 2011, Frank McCourt, the renowned proprietor of the Dodgers Stadium and Fox Entertainment Group, was wedded to his spouse Jamie McCourt.
Frank, being a highly accomplished entrepreneur, had to pay a significant amount of $130 million due to the divorce settlement.
Harold Hamm & Sue Ann Arnall – $974.8 Million
After being married for 24 years, Harold Hamm, a prominent entrepreneur in the gas and oil industry, ended his marriage with Sue Ann Arnall in 2012.
Sue reached a resolution in the legal dispute by accepting Mann’s settlement payment of almost $1 billion, specifically $974.8 million.
Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt – $400 Million
Following Jolie’s divorce filing from Pitt, the couple has been resolving their matters under the supervision of a private judge.
“She requested complete physical and shared legal custody of their kids. Although it’s still uncertain, there are speculations that the divorce settlement could reach a staggering $400 million.”
Jennifer Lopez & Chris Judd – $14 Million
The Bronx-born singer-actress filed for divorce from Chris Judd less than a year after tying the knot, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Although they settled for an undisclosed amount, there are numerous reports that J.Lo shelled out $14 million.
Ron Perelman & Ellen Barkin – $20 Million
The businessman married Barkin, who became his fourth wife, in June of 2000.
Their short-lived marriage ended in 2006, and the divorce was expensive. Ellen reportedly received a settlement of more than $20 million after she sold off jewelry Ron had given her.
Greg Norman & Laura Andrassy – $103 Million
When the golf legend left Laura Andrassy in 2008 after 25 years of marriage, for fellow tennis star Chris Evert, he was forced to pay Andrassy an estimated $103 million! You’d think those big payouts would make couples work harder to keep their relationships together.
Kenny & Marianne Rogers – $60 Million
Country crooner Kenny Rogers is no stranger to divorce—he’s been married five times—but his most expensive split was with his fourth wife, Marianne Gordon.
In 1993, the couple divorced, and Rogers shelled out a cool $60 million to Gordon.
Johnny Carson & Joanna Holland – $20 Million
Johnny Carson has been married four times, but his most financially successful wife was model/socialite Joanna Holland, who squeezed $20 million out of their long and ugly divorce.
When they divorced, Carson was the highest-paid TV personality, raking in $15 million a year.
Ted Dansen & Casey Coates – $30 Million
Ted Danson met Casey Coates in 1976 and the pair were inseparable for 15, seemingly happy and blissful years.
Things went south after Danson and Whoopi Goldberg began having a secret affair. In one of Hollywood’s most expensive divorce settlements at the time, Danson paid Coates $30 million.
Adnan Khashoggi & Soraya Khashoggi – $874 Million
Saudi Arabian billionaire, Adnan Khashoggi was once thought to be one of the richest men in the world.
He married his partner Soraya Khashoggi when she was just 20 years old, but the marriage in an expensive divorce. Soraya was awarded $874 million.
Kelsey & Camille Grammer – $30 Million
When these two wed in 1997, there was no prenuptial agreement, which one half of the couple would come to regret years down the line.
After 14 years of marriage and two children, the couple split up in February 2011. Camille ended up on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and $30 million of Grammer’s money.
John & Beverly Charman -$95 Million
When Charman married his high school sweetheart Beverley, he had no money, but during their 29 years of marriage, he become the eighth richest businessman in London.
Beverly gave up her job to raise their children, so when the couple separated, Beverly received $95 million.
Samathur Li-kan & Florence Tsang-Chiu-wing -$154 Million
One of Hong Kong’s most powerful billionaires, Samathur Li-Kan, divorced his wife Florence in 2008 because she wouldn’t get an abortion.
A Hong Kong judge ordered the wealthy real estate mogul to pay his ex-wife $154 million.
Michael & Juanita Jordan – $168 Million
After years of trying to make the marriage work, Michael and Juanita Jordan mutually agreed on a divorce.
As part of the settlement, Juanita received $168 million, on top of the couple’s seven-acre Chicago mansion and custody of their children Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine.
Arnold Schwarzenegger & Maria Shriver – $375 Million
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver had a difficult split after 25 years of marriage.
Shriver filed for divorce following the news of his affair with their housekeeper. Since they never had a prenup agreement, Shriver ended up getting $375 million and custody of their children.
Reba McEntire & Narvel Blackstock – $47.5 Million
Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock shocked fans when they announced their split in 2015.
Despite this, the two remain friends and support each other. Given that there was no prenuptial agreement was in place, we can assume that the couple divided their assets evenly.
Roman & Irina Malandina – $300 Million
From 1991 to 2007 Irina Malandina was married to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who was valued at 8.5 billion.
When the couple divorced, Irina ended up getting $300 million which included cash as well as lavish homes in Moscow and London.
Michael Strahan & Jean Muggli – $15 Million
Michael Strahan met Muggli in 1994 and they married in 1999. Since saying “I do,” the two have had quite the tumultuous relationship.
After filing for divorce, Muggli was awarded $15 million in a settlement and $18,000 in child support each month.
Jesse Williams & Aryn Drake-Lee – Approx. $4 Million
It has been confirmed that Jesse Williams and his wife Aryn Drake-Lee are divorcing amicably.
The Grey’s Anatomy star filed for divorce from Drake-Lee, a real estate broker. No settlement amount was disclosed, but is estimated that it will cost around $4 million.
Eddie Murphy & Nicole Mitchell Murphy
Although the marriage seemed a happy one, the couple divorced in 2006 after nearly twenty years together.
Following their split, Eddie Murphy dated and had a child with former Spice Girl Mel B. Nicole went onto date Michael Strahan. Currently Eddie is dating Paige Butcher and the couple have a child together.
Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva – $80 Million
16 years of marriage and three children later, the Hollywood couple decided to call it quits as a result of Costner’s alleged infidelity.
The Hollywood actor ended up having to pay $80 million to Silva in the divorce and later admitted that he had a child on the side with socialite Bridget Rooney.
James Cameron & Linda Hamilton – $50 Million
This relationship came to an end after Cameron was unfaithful while on the set of Titanic.
Within days of Cameron winning an Oscar for the movie, the couple announced their separation and Linda’s $50 million settlement.
Johnny Depp & Amber Heard – $6.8 Million
Amber accused Depp of being abusive, and eventually a settlement of over $6 million was decided on.
Amber vowed to donate the money to charities. Although the couple never had children together, Depp has two, including model Lily-Rose Depp.
Prince Charles & Princess Diana- $22 Million
Prince Charles and Princess Diana appeared to have a fairytale marriage.
Affairs lead to the dissolution of the royal marriage, and Diana was paid a lump sum of around 17.5 million pounds, which at today’s exchange rate is about $22 million.
Alex Baldwin & Kim Bassinger – Approx. $3 Million
Kim Bassinger and Alec Baldwin were married for 9 years and had a daughter together before splitting.
The divorce was tough, with Kim blocking Alec’s visitation rights to their daughter. It is reported that they settled for around $3 million.
Steve & Elaine Wynn – $741 million
Steve Wynn managed to strike out twice, with the same woman!
Wynn divorced Elaine Wynn, for the second time in 2010, costing the billionaire $741 million!
Paul McCartney & Heather Mills – $48.6 Million
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills celebrated their marriage with a $3.2 million wedding in Ireland, he probably wasn’t thinking that he’d be spending a whole lot more than that dissolving it.
McCartney had to pay her $48.6 million settlement.
Vladimir Potanin & Natalia Potanina – $7 Billion
Vladimir Potanin is reported to be one of the richest men in Russia, worth an estimated $14 billion.
He was married to Natalia Potanina for 30 years before calling it quits in 2013. The divorce was extremely complicated, and Natalia received around $7 billion.
Michael Polsky & Maya Polsky – $184 Million
Michael Polsky is one of the most famous businessmen in the world, formerly the owner of SkyGen, it was only natural that his divorce was going to cost him!
He split from his wife Maya in 2003 and it cost him an astonishing $184 million.
Heidi Klum & Seal – $70 Million
Heidi claims that Seal’s temper got so out of control, it scared their children.
Heidi left with a broken heart and bank account. Despite their prenup agreement, Klum ended up settling the divorce for $70 million.
Charles Fipke & Marlene Fipke – $200 Million
Charles Fipke discovered the first diamonds in Canada’s Northwest Territories, which in turn made him a very rich man.
Charles divorced Marlene after being married for a number of years, and the divorce cost him close to $200 million, making it one of the biggest divorce settlements in Canada.
Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale – $2.5 Million
Gwen and Gavin were considered a happy successful couple, however like most matches in Hollywood their marriage came to an end after 13 years and a total 20 years together.
Their settlement estimated to cost around $25 million. Since the split, Gwen has gone on to date Blake Shelton.
Hilary Duff & Mike Comrie – $2.5 Million
Hilary Duff was considered one of America’s teenage sweethearts throughout the 2000’s.
The world was thrilled for her when she married Mike Comrie, however, the marriage didn’t last. What followed was a messy divorce and a settlement which cost around $2.5 million.
Teddy Landau & Michelle Branch – Approx. $300 000
Grammy Award winner Michelle Branch married her bass player Teddy Landau and the marriage lasted nearly 11 years.
However, it didn’t last and the couple decided to separate, which was then followed by a divorce. The settlement cost close to $300,000.
Dr. Phil McGraw & Debbie Higgins – Approx. $1 Million
Dr. Phil had a failed marriage with his high school sweetheart Debbie Higgins, who McGraw divorced after three years.
The split cost around $1 million as at that point he didn’t have much. Higgins calls herself the “secret first wife of Dr. Phil.”
Garth Brooks & Sandy Mahl – $125 Million
The famous country crooner and his college sweetheart Sandy Mahl sadly parted ways due to difficult times in their relationship and divorced in 1999 after 15 years of marriage.
Mahl was awarded a whopping $125 million in the divorce settlement.
