Amazon was only a young online book retailer in 1993 when Jeff Bezos married MacKenzie Scott. The couple, who got married without a prenuptial agreement, stayed together for 25 years and share four children. That choice turned out to be a crucial aspect of their well-publicized 2019 divorce.
The outcome? MacKenzie became one of the richest women in the world right away after leaving with a 4% interest in Amazon. Forbes estimates that she currently has a net worth of about $165.3 billion. In addition to making news, the lack of a prenuptial agreement changed the way people talk about money, marriage, and asset protection.
Bezos, who has a $220 billion fortune, is now being far more circumspect as he gets ready to wed former TV host Lauren Sánchez. According to legal experts, the founder of Amazon has chosen to get into a thorough and extensively negotiated prenuptial agreement this time.
Alphonse Provinziano, a Certified Family Law Specialist, stated that safeguarding Bezos’ substantial pre-marital assets would be the main focus of the deal. “All business assets and ownership interests would be clearly listed, indicating that they would be regarded as Jeff Bezos’ separate property,” Provinziano told HELLO!.
Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie reportedly do not have a prenup. 💰
A divorce settlement could mean splitting up a $137 billion fortune: https://t.co/N1hPhsmjvN pic.twitter.com/EzjGgW7hOf
— Complex (@Complex) January 10, 2019
He continued by saying that these prenuptial agreements usually contain provisions guaranteeing that the new spouse’s labor or effort will not grant them the right to profits from the firm. Teams of lawyers are frequently involved in the lengthy and intricate process. Additionally, Bezos is anticipated to pay Sánchez’s legal bills, which is customary in high-net-worth prenuptial agreements.
The difficulty, according to Dain Dreyer, partner at Dreyer & Mazaheri PLLC, is not Bezos’ riches but rather its size and complexity. “It’s not just US assets,” Dreyer noted. “You’re talking about global holdings, private investments, real estate, and even corporate governance structures. Structuring protections that are enforceable in all relevant jurisdictions is extremely difficult.”
59-Year-Old #JeffBezos will sign #Prenup agreement before his second marriage to protect his $138 billion fortune
▪️Jeff’s divorce with first wife MacKenzie Scott in 2019 cost him $38 billion
▪️Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez are looking to secure their assets through… pic.twitter.com/yoHrhNbc8b
— Voice For Men India (@voiceformenind) May 31, 2023
According to Dreyer, the process probably took months and involved cooperation between valuation specialists, financial consultants, and elite attorneys. He went on to say that “fairness and transparency are essential,” adding that any perceived disparity could compromise the enforcement of the agreement.
It is thought that Bezos and Sánchez have already finalized and signed their prenuptial agreement, as sources indicate the wedding will occur next month. The pair is now anticipated to turn their attention from contract provisions to wedding vows following months of painstaking preparation and legal scrutiny.
