What is Jocelyn Wildenstein's Net Worth?
Jocelyn Wildenstein is a New York socialite who has a net worth of $1 million. For many years Jocelyn Wildenstein was rumored to have a net worth of $500 million… or perhaps even several billion. Her rumored extreme wealth was explained by a supposed multi-billion dollar divorce settlement from ex-husband art heir Alec Wildenstein. According to many reports over the years from some very credible outlets, when Jocelyn divorced her husband Alec in 1999, she received a settlement that included a lump sum of as much as $2.5 billion plus $100 million per year in support payments. Today, we here at Celebrity Net Worth have concluded that these stories were all blown way way way out of proportion. It's likely that Jocelyn Wildenstein received significantly less than $50 million total and today struggles to afford her basic lifestyle. And she has blown through most of whatever she received. In May 2018, Jocelyn filed for bankruptcy. In June 2023, Jocelyn claimed to be broke.
Jocelyn's unfortunate situation has not been helped by her famously extravagant spending habits. Numerous sources have reported that at her peak, Wildenstein was spending over $500,000 per year on frivolous expenses like wine and food. It is rumored that she spent over $60,000 per year on phone bills back in the 90s.
Jocelyn Wildenstein is also known for her many, many, many plastic surgeries that have transformed her face into a shape that many believe resembles a cat. Hence, she earned the nickname "Catwoman."
Financial Issues
In May 2018, Jocelyn Wildenstein filed for bankruptcy. In the filing, she listed $16.4 million worth of assets and $6.4 million worth of debt. She claimed that her only income was a $900 social security payment and, therefore, had fallen way behind on her $4.5 million mortgage. The filing showed she owed $38,000 on a car loan for a 2006 Bentley, $70,000 to American Express, $25,000 in property taxes, $273,000 in law firm payments, $175,000 to her contractor, and $165,000 in failed rent payments connected to a Beverly Hills home.
In June 2020, Jocelyn reportedly lost three Trump World Tower apartments due to her bankruptcy. The three apartments are side-by-side, and she was in the midst of combining two of them into a single unit that spans over 5,000 square feet, with six bedrooms and incredible views of the city. She listed the three units for a combined $13 million in 2017, eventually lowering the price to $7.6 million before their apparent foreclosure.
Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images
Early Life
She was born Jocelynnys Dayannys da Silva Bezerra Périsset on September 7th 1945, in Lausanne, Switzerland. At the age of 17, she began dating film producers and directors. She then moved to Paris, and during her stay, she became a skilled hunter and pilot.
Alec Wildenstein Marriage
In 1978, Jocelyn married renowned art dealer Alec Wildenstein. They were first introduced by a Saudi arms dealer at an African ranch owned by the Wildenstein family. After the pair were married, they had two children together before divorcing in 1999.
Way back in 1998, Wildenstein famously revealed her spending habits during her marriage to Wildenstein. She stated that the pair regularly spent $1 million per year on all kinds of insane purchases. These included tigers in a bulletproof cage, a $350,000 Chanel dress, $10 million in jewelry, and extensive plastic surgery.
After splitting from Wildenstein, Jocelyn started dating a fashion designer called Lloyd Klein in 2003. The pair split up in 2016 amidst numerous scandals, including an incident in which Wildenstein allegedly cut Klein's face with and chest with scissors. Another incident involved Jocelyn throwing hot wax over him.
Alec Wildenstein Divorce
Jocelyn's marriage reportedly fell apart when she allegedly found her husband in bed with a 19-year-old Russian model. During this incident, Alec reportedly threatened his then-wife with a gun, which resulted in the art dealer being arrested and taken away in handcuffs. According to Alec, he pulled out the firearm because he thought Jocelyn's two bodyguards were burglars. He claims that when he realized his mistake, he put the gun away. One of these bodyguards called the police, and Alec was forced to spend a night in jail as a result.
Divorce Settlement
When Alec and Jocelyn began battling over assets, Alec initially claimed to be simply an unpaid personal assistant to his father. Jocelyn's lawyers asserted that her father-in-law, Daniel Wildenstein, owned an art collection valued at $10 billion.
When Jocelyn eventually divorced Alec in 1999, it was widely reported that she received a settlement that included a lump sum of as much as $2.5 billion, plus $100 million per year in support payments. When we assess Wildenstein's current financial situation, we can safely conclude that these reports were blown way out of proportion. More accurate sources point to a divorce settlement that was probably closer to about $50 million. A noteworthy addition to this story is the fact that Wildenstein was forbidden from using any of her alimony money for plastic surgery. During the trial, the presiding judge allegedly received death threats.
Scott Gries/Getty Images
Cosmetic Surgery
Due to her affinity for plastic surgery, Wildenstein has earned the nickname "Catwoman." Some say that she has gone too far with these surgeries, and many have even claimed that she has "mutilated" herself. It is reported that Jocelyn has spent at least $4 million throughout her entire life on plastic surgeries. Previously, she had worked as a model and her appearance was quite breathtaking.
Jocelyn's addiction to plastic surgery began during her marriage to Alec Wildenstein, who paid for these procedures "without blinking." Tragically, Wildenstein has revealed that her decision to go under the knife was primarily influenced by fears that her husband was going to leave her. It appears as though Jocelyn's desire to transform her face was not born out of vanity but rather feelings of inadequacy.
Despite the fact that Alec was paying for these surgical procedures throughout their marriage, he claimed that he was actively trying to convince her to stop what she was doing to her face. He once stated: "She was thinking that she could fix her face like a piece of furniture. Skin does not work that way. But she wouldn't listen."
Real Estate
In 2017, Wildenstein listed three continuous apartments in New York City's Trump World Tower building for $13 million. Two of the apartments had been combined to create a single 5,200-square-foot unit with incredible views of Manhattan's East River, private elevators, and a library.
By 2018, it was revealed that Jocelyn was declaring bankruptcy and that these apartments were ins foreclosure. She reportedly couldn't pay the $4.6 million still owed in mortgage payments, and the home needed to be liquidated in order to cover her debts. In 2020, it was reported that Weinstein had lost her Trump World Tower apartments to foreclosure.
