Jeff Bezos Net Worth Would've Hit $200 Billion If Not For Divorce

Jeff Bezos’ net worth is $156 billion. As one the richest man on earth, his fortune could have actually gotten way higher if not for one legal move.

Bezos’ high-profile divorce to ex-wife MacKenzie Bezos actually cost him more than the average divorce settlement between couples. The Amazon CEO had to give up $38 billion to Mrs. Bezos and let go of 4 percent stake in Amazon. Even though this isn’t a lot of money for him, had it not been for the massive settlement, Bezos would have eclipsed the $200 billion mark way sooner.

The couple ended their marriage after spending 25 years together. They have four children; three sons and a daughter they adopted from China. The settlement cemented the divorce as the most expensive of all time, according to Business Insider.

MacKenzie Bezos signed up for The Giving Pledge, which would make her give away all her wealth to charities during her lifetime. Mrs. Bezos is a novelist by profession before engaging in Amazon as one of its employees in the company’s early years. The massive settlement catapulted her to the world’s richest women rankings. In 2019, she placed fourth on the wealthiest women list and was included in the 25 richest billionaires in the world.

Meanwhile, her former husband is doing well on his own. During the pandemic, Bezos saw his net worth increase by as much as $40 billion, per FOX News. Amazon can be considered crucial and essential to many people since the lockdowns restricted physical movement. Supplies that can be ordered online and delivered to customers without going out of the house have become one of the most important things during the pandemic. Most companies suffered because of the lockdowns, but those that are aligned digitally survived and even thrived amid the uncertainties.

One of the companies that thrived is Amazon. It even hired 175,000 additional workers in March and April to bolster its workforce after the sudden influx of orders and deliveries amid the pandemic. Aside from Amazon, Bezos also owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin.

The 56-year-old CEO made his stance over the Black Lives Matter movement, throwing his full support to the protesters but getting the ire of those who think otherwise. However, Bezos is also being called out by some senators and critics over the treatment of Amazon employees during the COVID-19 outbreak.