Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, has agreed a record-breaking divorce settlement worth at least $35billion with his wife.
The world’s richest man announced on Thursday that he will transfer roughly 4% of the company’s stock to MacKenzie Bezos most likely by early July.
The couple, who have four children, are finalising their divorce after announcing in January that they were separating after 25 years.
Ms. Bezos will give up her interests in the Washington Post newspaper and Mr. Bezos’ space travel firm, Blue Origin.
The $35 billion settlement will make her the third-richest woman in the world, behind L’Oreal’s Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, who is worth an estimated $52.9 billion, and Wal-Mart’s Alice Walton, who is worth $45 billion.
She would rank as the planet’s 26th-richest person, ahead of Nike’s Phil Knight.
Jeff Bezos will remain the world’s richest person, with a net worth above $110 billion, per early Thursday afternoon stock prices. Bill Gates is the world’s second-wealthiest individual, boasting an estimated $99.5 billion fortune.
The Bezos’ divorce deal dwarfs a previous $3.8bn record set by art dealer, Alec Wilderstein, and his wife, Jocelyn.
Other divorces that have resulted in a billionaire spouse include Steve and Elaine Wynn (she received a $1 billion settlement), as well as Bill and Susan Gross (she received a $1.3 billion settlement).
In a statement posted to his Twitter account, Jeff Bezos said, “In all our work together, MacKenzie’s abilities have been on full display. She has been an extraordinary partner, ally, and mother.”
MacKenzie posted a tweet of her own, saying, “Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff from each other. … Happy to be giving him all my interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, and 75% of our Amazon stock plus voting control of my shares to support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible companies.”
The couple’s separation stirred a tabloid frenzy, as intimate text messages between Bezos and his romantic partner, Lauren Sanchez, a TV anchor, were leaked by the National Enquirer.
Mr. Bezos has accused the publisher of the magazine, American Media Incorporated, of blackmail. The publisher denies the claim.
