The Most Expensive Divorces in the World

Divorces create headlines for lots of reasons. It’s sometimes because the couples involved are well-known or the proceedings of their breakup are heated. Or the reasons for the separation are particularly scandalous. Typically, the separation becomes the talk of the town because of money, specifically, how much is going to be divided in the divorce. In the article we have explored the most expensive divorce of the world that would be shocking for you.

In nine states in the United States, the law generally implies that both spouses have joint ownership and management of any property obtained, acquired, or accumulated during the marriage unless that item qualifies as separate property. When a couple divorces, the judge will usually divide the shared property 50/50 between them. If you are a common man, hardly meeting both ends every month, then there is nothing to worry about. However, if you are one of the richest men on the planet, you may want to reconsider your divorce, as half your wealth is going away.

Most Famous and Pricey Divorces Worldwide that Cost Billions!

Separations can be messy, especially if you are a limelight person. But, losing your billions worth of assets, well it’ll take a lot of time to recover from such a loss. Let’s snoop in the most priciest annulments of all time!

1.   Bill & Melinda Gates (2021) – $76 Billion

The divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates after 27 years was a recent example. Gates was valued at around $152 billion at the time of the divorce settlement in August 2021. The divorce terms were not made public; however, because the couple resides in the community property state of Washington, an equal division of their assets seems anticipated. Neither requested spousal support, but were thought to have divided the nearly $152 billion, making their $76 billion divorce one of the costliest on record. Read more about the most expensive celebrity photographs in the world.

2.   Jeff Bezos & MacKenzie Scott (2019) – $38.3 Billion

Amazon Inc. founder Jeff Bezos was the wealthiest man in the world at the time of his divorce. Therefore, his marriage annulment was one of the most expensive in history. When his divorce was finalized in 2019, his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, got a total of $38.3 billion. (Because her contribution was mostly in Amazon stock, the amount has fluctuated slightly based on the value of the shares at the time it was calculated. It was first expected to be around $35 and $36 billion). As far as billionaire divorces go, this one was very amicable—the couple exchanged mutually complimentary messages on Twitter (now X)—and was quickly settled out of court. Read more about the top 12 most expensive commercials in the world ever made.

3.   Alec & Jocelyn Wildenstein (1999) – $3.8 Billion

Alec Wildenstein was a racehorse owner and art dealer born in France but raised in America. Jocelyn, his wife, was a socialite and frequent cosmetic surgery patient (nicknamed “Catwoman” for her catlike look). They were thought to be a happy couple, at least by New York City socialite standards, until they divorced in the mid-1990s. The settlement, reached after two years of discussions, paid Jocelyn a lump sum of $2.3 billion, plus $100 million over the following 13 years. The total sum was $3.8 billion, with none of it to be spent on cosmetic procedures, according to the court. Read more about the most exclusive outfits ever made in the world.

4.   Kim Kardashian & Kanye West (Nov-2022) – $2.7 Billion

Kimberly Noel Kardashian is a television personality, socialite, and entrepreneur from the United States. Kanye West is a rapper, musician, songwriter, record producer, and fashion artist from the United States. With 160 million records sold, West is one of the world’s best-selling music artists. He has received 24 Grammy Awards, the equal tenth most of all time and the most for any hip-hop artist, together with Jay-Z. Kim Kardashian and her ex-husband, Kanye West (now known as Ye), filed for divorce in 2021 and finalized their divorce in November 2022, after marrying in 2014 and having four kids together. Read more about the top 10 richest kids in the world.

Despite their extremely public disputes throughout their divorce, the couple was able to reach an arrangement to share joint custody of their four children, 9-year-old North, 7-year-old Saint, 4-year-old Chicago, and 3-year-old Psalm. West also agreed to pay $200,000 in support for his children each month.

5.   Rupert & Anna Murdoch (1999) – $1.7 Billion

Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of News Corporation (NWS) and co-chairman of Fox Corporation (FOX), and his wife, Anna, née Anna Torv, decided to call it quits after three decades and three children together. The sessions began peacefully but quickly became tense. Perhaps it had something to do with Murdoch’s connection with TV journalist Wendi Deng, with whom he tied the knot 17 days after his divorce was finalized in 1999. Six months after the order, Anna remarried, richer by $1.7 billion (including $110 million in cash). Deng and Murdoch divorced in 2013 after 14 years of marriage, settling out of court and keeping the terms private, due to one prenuptial and two postnuptial agreements.

6.   Bill & Sue Gross (2017) – $1.3 Billion

The divorce of “Bond King” Bill Gross, founding member of Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) and manager of the Janus Henderson Global Unconstrained Bond Fund, and Sue, his spouse of 31 years, was particularly acrimonious. Custody of the couple’s assets was challenged, from their Laguna Beach mansion (worth $36 million) to their Picasso artwork (sold for $35 million later) to their trio of pet cats (worthless). Sue won the Picasso and the Kittens as part of a settlement that reached $1.3 billion (almost half of Gross’ then-net worth) in 2017.

7.   Bernie Ecclestone & Slavica Radić (2009) – $1.2 Billion

The Formula One riches were in danger when Bernie Ecclestone, the motor racing corporation’s then-CEO, and fashion model Slavica Radi divorced. The divorce deal, which was finalized in 2009, awarded Radi an estimated £730 million, or over $1.2 billion at the time.

It was a peaceful divorce—and, by some accounts, an unusual one because she appears to be paying him back around $100 million every year, reflecting the fact that many of his possessions were kept in trust in her name to avoid Britain’s high inheritance taxes.

8. Harold Hamm & Sue Ann Arnall (2012) – $974.8 Million

The divorce procedures involving Continental Resources (CLR) Chairman and CEO Harold Hamm and the woman he married, Sue Ann Arnall, began in 2012 and lasted three years—roughly one-eighth of their marriage. Finally, Hamm issued her a cheque for $974.8 million after an Oklahoma district court ordered him to pay $1 billion in cash and assets. She deposited it in early 2015, after some hesitation.

She then sued for more, but the court denied her appeal since she had accepted the cheque; however, Hamm had previously paid her $20 million during the court proceedings, so her total compensation was about $1 billion.