Buffett steps in if something goes wrong

The Gates' divorce settlement has only just begun. However, there have already been some changes in the couple's bank accounts. Bill Gates transferred $1.8 billion in stock to Melinda the day the couple announced their separation. Apparently, it is the first of many public transactions the couple is likely to make while dividing up their extraordinary assets. According to the law of the state of Washington, where the spouses live, they must divide the capital acquired in the marriage equally. If the pair does not reach an agreement, Warren Buffett, who is the third member on the Gates Foundation's board, will step in.

4% too much or too little?

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos divorced his wife MacKenzie Scott 2 years ago. After the split, MacKenzie received a 4% stake in Amazon, which totaled 20 million shares. Notably, she was the first employee of the company and helped to develop it. At the time of the divorce settlement, Amazon shares that went to MacKenzie were estimated at $35 billion. Of course, their cost is now higher as the value of Amazon assets has jumped by 75% since 2019. After her divorce from Bezos, Scott became Mackenzie Scott. She is one of the three richest women on the planet.

House, Picasso, and three cats

Bill Gross nicknamed the "Bond King" owned more than $2 billion before his scandalous divorce, which began in 2016. After a long and painful division of the estate, his wife Sue got $1.3 billion, as well as a luxury mansion worth $36 million and a painting by Pablo Picasso, which she later sold for $35 million. Sue also got the right to take her husband's three favorite cats despite the fact that he was very actively seeking custody of one of his pets. After the divorce, poor Bill dropped out of the list of the richest people in the world.

Royal generosity

Now 90-year-old British businessman Bernie Ecclestone, who in the past was the head of Formula 1, is married for the third time. The second divorce was the most financially devastating for him. In 2009, he separated from his wife Slavika, who is 28 years younger than him. The former Croatian model lived for 27 years with Bernie and gave him two daughters. After the divorce, the billionaire transferred $1.2 billion to her. Such a generous sum made Slavika one of the wealthiest women in England.

Divorced more than once

The story of Steve and Elaine Wynn could be a great scenario for a successful melodrama in Hollywood. The co-founders of the Wynn Resorts casino chain have married and divorced twice. The first separation occurred after 23 years of marriage in 1986. After 5 years, the couple decided to give their relationship a second chance and lived together for almost 20 years. The second divorce was even more ruinous for the "King of Las Vegas" than the first one. In 2010, he gave his wife almost $1 billion. Today, Elaine Wynn's fortune reaches more than $2 billion as she owns the largest number of Wynn Resorts shares.

Modest sums

Harold Hamm is considered an oil magnate because he has largely made his capital on the extraction and transportation of oil. At the time of his divorce from his wife Sue Ann, the businessman owned about $20 billion. Naturally, he was unwilling to split his money with anyone. It took three years and several dozen court hearings to divide the property. As a result, the wife was able to get only $974.8 million, although she counted on half the amount that her wealthy ex-husband possessed.