Jeff Bezos Finalizes His $137 Billion Divorce
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos announced the finalization of their divorce on Thursday afternoon, per Business Insider.
In the agreement, MacKenzie agreed to give her former husband 75 percent of their shared Amazon stock, in addition to voting control of her shares. She also ceded her interests in The Washington Post and aerospace company Blue Origin.
The former power couple, who met as co-workers at investment company D.E. Shaw and Co., shocked the world with the announcement of their divorce on January 9. Jeff and MacKenzie had been married for 25 years.
Though the pair did not list a reason for their divorce, within hours the National Enquirer revealed the cause as an extramarital affair. The tabloid conducted a four month investigation, named Operation Alexa, into the Amazon mogul and his affair with former television host and current pilot Lauren Sanchez.
In a shock twist covered by The Inquisitr, the source for the Enquirer turned out to be Michael Sanchez, Lauren’s brother. Michael, an outspoken Trump supporter, has since admitted to the accusations.
“Lauren is no longer talking to her brother,” a source told the The New York Post.
Many analysts claimed that MacKenzie could have argued for half of their assets, and were shocked when she settled for 25 percent. However, her 25 percent share still comes to around $36 billion, making her the third richest woman in the world.
MacKenzie, a novelist who worked as an assistant to Toni Morrison, said that she wanted to focus on her “own plans” and that she was looking “forward to what comes next” in a statement posted on Twitter.
— MacKenzie Scott (@mackenziescott) April 4, 2019
Jeff also posted a statement, in which he wrote in glowing terms about his ex-wife. In addition to calling her “brilliant and loving,” the Washington Post owner claimed she was an “extraordinary partner, ally, and mother.”
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 4, 2019
Both Jeff and MacKenzie also emphasized their desire to be successful “co-parents” for their four children.
In a 2013 Vogue interview, Bezos described exactly what drew him to his now ex-wife.
“I think [MacKenzie] is resourceful, smart, brainy, and hot, but I had the good fortune of having seen her résumé before I met her, so I knew exactly what her SATs were.”
Jeff described how their romance grew after they became colleagues.
“All day long I listened to that fabulous laugh. How could you not fall in love with that laugh?”
However, it was MacKenzie who made the first move, asking her boss out for lunch. The pair were engaged within three months of dating and got married within six months.
The amicable split means that Bezos still has net worth of over $107 billion, making him the richest man in the world.
