The Bezos Divorce
Announcing the Separation
Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, dropped a bombshell on January 9, saying they were calling it quits after 25 years of marriage. The announcement came through on Twitter, just shy of Jeff’s 55th birthday. They made it clear they still wanted to stick together as friends, co-parents, and business allies, as per Vox. Their tweet painted the picture of a “loving exploration and trial separation,” and they showed a lot of gratitude for their time as a couple, expressing hopes to keep things friendly. That’s pretty important considering their shared ventures, like that massive $2 billion fund aiming to tackle homelessness.
MacKenzie’s Name Change
After the divorce, MacKenzie Bezos decided to shake things up and go by MacKenzie Scott. The “Scott” in her name isn’t new—it’s from her middle name given at birth. Things shifted again in 2021 when she married Dan Jewett, a science teacher at Lakeside School. The marriage was announced in Jewett’s Giving Pledge letter in March 2021. But it was a short stint, as MacKenzie filed for divorce in September 2022, wrapping up by January 2023.
Divorce Details Revealed
People were glued to their screens waiting to see what was up with the financial side of things in the Bezos divorce. In a twist, MacKenzie showed her generous side by letting Jeff hold onto 75% of her Amazon stock and keeping the voting power tied to those shares. Here’s a quick rundown of their split:
Asset | MacKenzie Scott | Jeff Bezos |
---|---|---|
Amazon Stock | 25% | 75% |
Voting Control | No | Yes |
Philanthropic Ventures | Yes | Yes |
This split meant Amazon could keep cruising smoothly with Jeff at the helm. Their divorce showed they could stay strong and unified for their ventures and causes. Curious about other celeb splits? Check out our takes on jeff dunham and his wife separated or orlando bloom and miranda kerr separated.
Through their smooth and open breakup, Jeff and MacKenzie managed to part ways like adults, keeping their heads in the game with shared projects. The end of their marriage didn’t stop them from pushing forward with their professional and philanthropic work, proving they were committed to keeping good vibes in the public eye.
The Bezos Divorce Settlement
Division of Assets
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos took to Twitter to announce their split after a quarter-century of marriage, calling each other ‘cherished friends’ in what turned out to be a friendly goodbye. With Jeff ranked among the planet’s wealthiest, boasting a fortune around $137 billion, splitting up their stuff was no small feat. In the end, MacKenzie handed over 75% of her Amazon stock to Jeff, who also got to call the shots on the voting front.
Asset | Division |
---|---|
Amazon Stock | 75% to Jeff, 25% to MacKenzie |
Voting Control | Jeff |
Estimated Total Fortune | $137 Billion |
Philanthropic Endeavors
After cutting ties with Jeff, MacKenzie pretty much put the pedal to the metal on her goodhearted efforts. She started Bystander Revolution, an organization taking aim at bullying. With a newfound freedom, MacKenzie promised to ditch half of it to various kind causes through the Giving Pledge. Her generosity stretches across different areas, showing she’s all about spreading some good vibes and positive influence around the globe.
Impact on Amazon
Even with all eyes on the breakup, Amazon came out of the hullabaloo pretty much unscathed. Thanks to MacKenzie’s generous offer to let Jeff hold onto voting power, the company kept its bearings and its investors stayed calm. Being the biggest fish in the U.S. stock market pond, even bigger than Microsoft, Amazon kept on trucking, unhampered by the major changes in Jeff’s personal life.
The clean division of assets could take a page from other famous splits, having echoes of other big-name separations. Dive into more celeb split-ups for a deeper perspective by checking out others like Jeff Dunham or Richard Marx’s parting tales. There’s more to know about celeb divides with tales from Jason and Courtney’s split.
MacKenzie’s Second Divorce
Marriage to Dan Jewett
After parting ways with Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott found love again with Dan Jewett, a chemistry teacher, in March 2021. Unlike her glitzy marriage with Bezos, this one was more hush-hush. They started with a prenup—because, you know, it’s always wise to spell things out when money’s involved.
Wealth and Donations
Post-split with Bezos, Scott pocketed $38.3 billion in Amazon shares. That’s about 4%—or 19.7 million shares for the numbers folks out there. Bezos clung onto 75% of their Amazon shares, with a say in hers too.
Scott turned mega-philanthropist, parting with near $6 billion for good causes soon after the big split (Daily Mail). In 2020 alone, a whopping $5.7 billion went to a bevy of charities, and she’s pledged to give over half her fortune away (Daily Mail). By 2021, Scott’s generosity spread $14 billion over 16,000 non-profits.
Year | Donation Amount (in Billion USD) |
---|---|
2019 | 6 |
2020 | 5.7 |
2021 | 2.3 (added to the giving) |
Finalizing the Divorce
Scott’s second marriage hit the brakes on January 4, 2023, stamped and sealed by a Washington judge. This union managed about a year before wrapping up, with Jewett not putting up a fight. No kids, prenup sorted—it was all neatly done (New York Post).
Curious about more celebrity splits? Don’t miss our scoop on mickey and minnie separated and mike and jessica separated.
Jeff Bezos’s Personal Life
Relationship with Lauren Sanchez
After splitting from MacKenzie, Jeff Bezos started seeing Lauren Sanchez in June. Their relationship hit the headlines when the National Enquirer spilled the beans about their sneaky meet-ups, sparking a media frenzy and turning Bezos’s love life into a hot topic (Daily Mail). People couldn’t stop buzzing about their romance, eagerly awaiting updates on the power duo’s latest escapades.
Curious about other celeb breakups? Check out our articles on jewel and ty murray separated and jj and lauren separated.
Living Arrangements
Despite their high-profile status, Bezos and Sanchez strive for a down-to-earth lifestyle. According to Sanchez, they focus on family and enjoy simple activities like brewing coffee, sharing breakfast, staying fit, and unwinding with movie nights on Saturdays (Bright Side). This glimpse of their everyday life stands in stark contrast to the flashy headlines that often surround them.
Scandal and Public Attention
The Bezos-Sanchez saga grabbed heaps of media spotlight, fueled by the eyebrow-raising start of their affair. Stories of secret get-togethers and private selfies spread like wildfire, thanks largely to the National Enquirer (Daily Mail). This media storm put Bezos’s world under a magnifying glass.
Event | Details |
---|---|
Relationship Kickoff | June |
Media Spotlight | National Enquirer on sneaky meet-ups |
Public Buzz | Intense media scrutiny |
Their love story, blending the mundane with the sensational, keeps folks hooked on celebrity relationship dramas. For more tales of high-profile splits, dive into our stories on missy and zachary separated and michael and kristine barnett separated.