Divorce causes much stress for everyone involved, which is not a likely event

Updated on August 24, 2022 18:17 PM by admin

It's not uncommon for celebrities such as Paul McCartney, Madonna, Tiger Woods, and even President Donald Trump to be unable to afford divorce settlements. The divorce settlements mentioned above were each worth tens of millions of dollars, but they pale compared to the most expensive divorce settlements of all time.

Several cases involving settlements worth more than $1 billion are included on that dubious list. There's no doubt that divorce is a stressful and time-consuming process. It can become your worst nightmare when it comes to assets, finances, and other legal matters. We have compiled a compilation of the world's most expensive and publicized divorces.

The net worth of Bill Gates, according to Bloomberg, is $146 billion, making him the fourth richest man in the world. When they first met at Microsoft in 1987, the two teamed up to form a joint foundation, which has since donated to several charities. Forbes reports that their shared foundation holds a trust endowment of $49.8 billion. It is unclear what will happen to their finances.

In nine states, residents can receive a 50/50 split of marital assets, including in Washington, where the Gates family resides. Even though it is not mandatory, Melinda Gates might end up with as much as $73 billion in assets. There is already a $10 million inheritance for each of the Gates children, and the rest of the couple's wealth will be given to charity.

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos

As the richest person in the world, Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, is worth an estimated $137 billion, and Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos' divorces are the most expensive in history. They split, according to Bezos, after a long period of "loving exploration and trial separation." Although it's unclear if the couple signed a prenuptial agreement, they live in one of nine states in which they are entitled to an equal split of the assets. There's no denying that the Bezos divorce is the world's biggest and most expensive separation ever.

Alec Wildenstein and Jocelyn Wildenstein

It was in 1999 that Alec Wildenstein divorced his wife, Jocelyn Wildenstein, a French-American art dealer, and businessman. Twenty-one years of marriage ended when the couple could no longer agree on anything and decided to part ways. The amount received up front by Jocelyn was $2.5 billion, and then an additional $100 million per year for 13 years. Totaling $3.8 billion, this is a staggering amount.

Rupert Murdoch and Anna Torv

A divorce was announced in 1999 between Rupert Murdoch and his wife, Maria Torv, after 31 years of marriage. Although the couple agreed to an amicable separation, they didn't divulge many details to the media. Rupert married a woman two weeks after the divorce was finalized, Wendi Deng, a 38-year-old woman. Talk about moving forward.

Bernie Ecclestone and Slavica Radić

One of the most expensive divorces in history was Bernie Ecclestone's with Slavica Radi ć in 2009. The divorce was reportedly the most expensive in history at the time. After lengthy negotiations, lawyers reached an agreement on a payout of approximately $1.2 billion. In the years following her settlement, Slavica has grown her portfolio to $1.6 billion by investing her newfound cash wisely. That's not too bad of a return.

Harold Hamm and Sue Ann Arnall

A divorce was finalized after twenty-four years of marriage between Harold Hamm and his wife, Sue Ann Hamm, in 2012. A check for $974.8 million was handed over to settle the divorce between the successful Oil Magnate and his ex-wife. At the time, approximately 5% of his total net worth was at stake. As her legal team pursued more money from her ex-husband, Sue did not cash the check until 2015.

Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi

In his lifetime, Adnan Khashoggi was one of the wealthiest men in the world, a Saudi billionaire. As a result, he had to pay $874 million to his ex-wife as a divorce settlement in 1982. Seventeen homes, three planes, and three yachts were owned by the couple at the height of their wealth. There are only seven divorces in the world that cost more than the Khashoggi divorce.

Steven and Elaine Wynn

Steve Wynn filed a divorce petition in 2010 against their wife, Elaine. It is estimated that he was required to pay $741 million to please the courts. This is the second divorce the couple has gone through, as they were married between 1963 and 1986. Among the most expensive divorces in history, this one hit the record books.

Dmitry Rybolovlev and Elena Rybolovlev

Elena Rybolovlev and Dmitry Rybolovlev ended their 26-year marriage in 2008. Dmitry was ordered to pay $4.8 billion to his ex-wife a few years later. A little over $600 million was the final payout after more negotiations.

Craig and Wendy McCaw

A few short years before they divorced, Craig McCaw sold his company to AT&T for $11 – $12 billion. Craig McCaw is the founder of Cellular and Clearwire Corp. Consequently. Wendy received a whopping payout of $460 million after a 21-year marriage.

Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore

As one of the most expensive divorces in history, Mel and Robyn Gibson's divorce cost almost half a million dollars after 26 years together. Almost half of Mel's net worth was lost in the massive settlement because the couple didn't sign a prenuptial agreement.

Robert Johnson and Sheila Crump Johnson

One of the longest marriages on this list is Bob and Sheila Johnson's 33 years. The couple married in 1969 and co-founded Black Entertainment Television (BET), earning them the first African-American billionaire status in 2000. Sheila walked away with $400 million in 2002 after the couple announced their divorce.

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Although we all thought Brad Pitt and Angelina Pitt would make it, they announced their separation in 2016. To split their $500 million empire, the couple had to decide how they wanted to split it. They own nine properties and have accumulated a large collection of jewelry, fine art, cars, and vintage motorbikes. Their divorce ranks thirteenth in terms of the total value of the assets they have accumulated over the years.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver

Maria Shriver filed for divorce in 2011 after hearing about Arnold Schwarzenegger's affair with their housekeeper. The couple had been married for 25 years before the end of 2011. Due to the lack of a signed prenuptial agreement, Shriver retained legal custody of their children and $250 million.

Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy

When Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls in 1989, he and Juanita Jordan married in Las Vegas. Juanita and Michael Jordan ended their marriage in 2016, releasing a statement saying they had "mutually and amicably" parted ways. A seven-acre Chicago mansion, custody of their children, and $168 million were awarded to Juanita in exchange for their divorce.

Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey

A divorce was filed in March 1995 between Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphy after 25 years of marriage. Neil strayed outside their relationship and blamed himself for most of what went wrong. After 25 years of marriage, Murphy walked away with about $150 million in the bank.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Tiger Woods revealed he had affairs with his wife in 2010. The couple announced shortly after that that they were ending their six-year marriage. Tiger's ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, received an estimated $110 million divorce settlement after the couple had already signed a prenuptial agreement. Because of Tiger's behavior, the prenuptial agreement had to be renegotiated.

Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving

A divorce settlement of $100 million was reached between Steven Spielberg and Amy Spielberg after just three and a half years of marriage. Amy reports their careers had a bearing on their divorce. In 1985, their divorce was the most expensive in history.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie

Madonna and Guy Ritchie's marriage ended abruptly in 2008 after only seven short years. As part of the divorce settlement, Guy walked away with somewhere in the region of $92 million after reporting that the spark in their relationship had gone out. Richie said he felt like "he stepped into a soap opera."

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison first met on the set of "Apocalypse Now" in 1979. Between 2000 and 2004, they divorced because they did not have a prenuptial agreement, and Mathison gained $118 million due to the absence of a prenuptial agreement.

Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva

There have been 16 years since Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva announced their divorce, making them the world's most expensive divorce. Married in 1976, the Costas announced their divorce in 1994, some 16 years later. According to sources, Costner was rumored to have wandered eyes, and his wife didn't like some of his sexier movie roles, forcing him to pay $80 Million in an amicable settlement.