Most Expensive Divorce Settlement

Divorce rates have increased dramatically during the 20th century around the world in developed countries. Usually the divorce terms are in the hands of the court, but they will take into account any prenuptial agreements, or also possibly listen to terms that the spouses have agreed on privately.

A study in the UK investigating divorce says that extra-marital affairs are the biggest cause for divorce accounting for roughly 27%. There are many cases where the partners do not agree on terms for the dissolution of marriage, and expensive divorce litigation often ensues.

In 1967 Rupert Murdoch married Anna Torv, in the same year that he divorced his first wife, Patricia Booker. This marriage would end in the most expensive divorce ever.

Torv and Murdoch had three children: Elisabeth Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch and James Murdoch. Anna and Rupert divorced in 1998, reportedly the split was amicable, but then Ruport allegidly forced Anna off the board of News Corp. When the divorce was finalized in June of 1999, she is said to have received a settlement of some US $1.7 billion in assets ($110 million in cash). This made Rupert and Anna’s settelement the most expensive divorce in the world. Seventeen days later, Rupert married his third wife, Wendi Deng, who was one of his employees.