Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers | May 2, 2018 | Articles

Ending a marriage can be expensive. Some factors, like prolonged courtroom litigation, can make some divorces more expensive than others. However, it’s hard to match the price tags on these infamous divorce cases. Below is a list of some of the most expensive divorces of all time:

  • Alec Wildenstein and Jocelyn Perisse

Estimates surrounding this French billionaire’s legendary 1999 divorce payout total up to $3.8 billion.

  • Rupert Murdoch and Anna Torv

The same year as the Wildenstein divorce, media mogul Rupert Murdoch left his second wife with a $1.7 billion payout. Seventeen days later, Murdoch married Wendi Deng. In 2013, he divorced Deng with a $1.8 billion payout. Ouch.

  • Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone

In 2009, the CEO of Formula One racing divorced his supermodel wife with a $1.2 billion settlement. However, due to the way the family trusts were structured, Slavica reportedly made monthly payments of $100 million to Bernie.

  • Harold Hamm and Sue Ann Arnall

In 2015, the energy developer wrote a check for $974.8 million to end the marriage.

  • Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi

The Saudi billionaires divorced in 1974, but it took Soraya five years of legal battles to get her $874 million settlement.

  • Steve Wynn and Elaine Pascal

Following an “on-again-off-again” marriage, the Vegas hotel tycoon divorced his wife for the last time in 2010 with a $741 million settlement.

  • Dmitry and Elena Rybolovlev

Elena was originally awarded a $4.5 billion settlement in 2014, but it was appealed and reduced to $604 million in 2015.

  • Bob Johnson and Sheila Crump Johnson

The co-founders of the BET network divorced in 2002. Sheila walked away with $400 million and married the judge who presided over the divorce case three years later.

  • Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore

This $425 million payout was rumored to be half of Gibson’s net worth at the time of the divorce (2006).

  • Craig and Wendy McCaw

The cellular industry entrepreneur divorced his wife in 1997 with a $460 million settlement. The final price tag could have been much worse: Craig sold his company to AT&T for $11 billion a few years later.

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver

After a long and contentious settlement process, the final payout was estimated to fall between $250 and $375 million in 2011.

  • Roman and Irina Abramovich

Good news for this Russian businessman: the 2007 divorce only cost 2 percent of his net worth. Good news for his ex-wife: 2 percent of Roman’s net worth was $300 million.

  • Charles and Marlene Fipke

These Canadian diamond prospectors divorced with a $200 million settlement in 2000.

  • Michael and Maya Polsky

These energy industry millionaires divorced with a $184 million settlement in 2007.

  • Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy

Following an “on-again-off-again” marriage, the couple settled a final divorce for $168 million in 2006.

  • Boris Berezovsky and Galina Besharova

The Russian oligarch divorced his wife with a $160 million settlement in 2010.

  • Samathur Li Kin-ka and Florence Tsang-Chiu-wing

The Hong Kong billionaire divorced his wife with a $154 million settlement in 2008, the highest divorce payout in Hong Kong history at the time.

  • Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey

With a self-proclaimed “guilty conscience,” Diamond gave up half his estate ($150 million) in 1994 to his ex-wife. Famously, he said she was “worth every penny.”

  • Frank and Jaime McCourt

The owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers kept his team but lost $130 million in the 2009 divorce.

  • Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison

The Indiana Jones actor divorced his wife with a settlement of $118 million in 2004.

  • Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

The scandal-ridden professional golfer divorced his wife with a $110 million settlement in 2010.

  • Greg Norman and Laura Andrassy

The Australian pro golfer divorced his wife with a $103 million settlement in 2007.

  • Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving

The couple divorced in 1989 with a $100 million settlement, despite having a prenuptial agreement written on a napkin.

  • Madonna and Guy Ritchie

The pop icon had to pay $92 million to her ex in their 2008 divorce settlement.

  • Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall

Technically this 1999 split was an annulment, not a divorce, but it still cost Jagger $15-$25 million. (It’s amazing when $25 million feels like a small number compared to the rest, isn’t it?)

Hire a Bergen County or Morris County Family Lawyer

Almost every divorce case listed above did not have a prenuptial agreement. What is the moral of the story? Life can be unpredictable. Protect your assets and business holdings with a prenuptial agreement compliant with the laws of your home state.

For every aspect of New Jersey family law, from prenuptial agreements to division of assets, the legal team at Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers can help.

Contact the Bergen County Family and Divorce Law Firm of Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers for more help

Contact the experienced family attorneys at Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers today for legal assistance. Visit our law office in Bergen County or give us a call at (201) 487-1199 to schedule an appointment. to schedule a free consultation with our team.

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Hackensack, NJ 07601, United States