Millionaire Divorce Club

While most of us consider ourselves lucky to have a house to live in and a modest retirement plan, in the celebrity stratosphere millionaire and billionaire divorce is shamelessly opulent.

Imagine how stressful divorce must be for those who “live large”, having to give up millions of dollars to their spouses. (And yes, I am kidding.)

Some of the Millionaire Divorce Club members are:

1. RON PERELMAN
American business magnate, Ron Perelman, is an all-star member of the Club, notably because he has married five times and divorced and paid out four of his wives. While most of his wives had their own money, his net worth far surpassed each of his wives.

First wife Faith Goldberg received $8 million, second wife Claudia Cohen left with $80 million, third wife Patricia Duff got $30 million and fourth wife, actress Ellen Barkin scored a sum between $20 and $60 million.

Nonetheless, marriage is still attractive to him as evidenced by his 2010 marriage to psychiatrist Dr. Anna Chapman. I can’t resist commenting that his new wife’s professional credentials may be of assistance to him.(in other words, he needs his head examined!)

2. ROMAN ABRAMOVICH
Russian business tycoon and former politician Roman Abramovich is a very rich man, so rich that he has booked Rhianna to sing for his guests at his St. Bart’s home for New Year’s Eve this year.

With close connections to Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin, Abramovich is at 46 years-old in the top 50 of the world’s wealthiest. While suspicion and innuendo has swirled around his business practices, the owner of Britain’s Chelsea Football Club has managed to survive in the world of cut throat Russian and international business.

With two marriages and divorces, Abramovich separated from Irina Abramovich in 2007 after sixteen years of marriage and five children. Irina received a divorce settlement of $300 million, a pittance compared to her husband’s net worth of $18.7 billion.

3. MEL GIBSON
Actor, producer, and director Mel Gibson and his wife Robyn Moore separated in 2009, immediately after Mr. Gibson’s arrest for drunk driving in Malibu, California. The couple were married for almost 30 years and have seven children and three grandchildren.

Mr. Gibson’s personal life and career have been controversial. His movie “The Passion of the Christ” was criticized as anti-Semitic. It is now the highest grossing R rated movie of all time.

His abuse of alcohol led to some personally embarrassing episodes, most notably the public disintegration of his relationship with Russian pianist Oksana Grigoreiva, who he had a child with after his separation from Ms. Moore.

Ms. Moore is alleged to have received one of the largest Hollywood divorce settlements, in the amount of $400 million together with a large portion of Mel Gibson’s retirement funds.

Lawdiva aka Georgialee Lang