Jocelyn Wildenstein was once one of the richest people on the planet after marrying a French-born American billionaire in the 1970s.
However, the late socialite, who was nicknamed Catwoman due to her pronounced cat eyes and leonine features, claimed she was bankrupt in 2023 after being cut out of her annual $100 million divorce settlement.
The Swiss-born star came from humble beginnings before marrying Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, son of French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein.
Her family presided over Wildenstein & Co., an influential Paris-based art dealer, and after Jocelyn and Alec split, she became one of the richest people on the planet.
The couple divorced in 1999 and the financial settlement left her with more than 2 billion dollars, plus millions more annually.
Although she filed for divorce in Switzerland, where Jocelyn was less likely to get a meaningful divorce settlement, she ended up receiving what should have been a windfall: about $2.5 million.
From one of the richest people on the planet to bankruptcy: How did ‘Catwoman’ Jocelyn Wildenstein lose all her billions when the star dies at 84?
The Swiss-born star came from humble beginnings before marrying Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, who was the son of French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein (pictured in 1999).
On top of that, her ex-husband would pay her $100 million a year for 13 years, and later his estate after his death in 2008 at age 67.
However, her ex-husband’s family cut off payments in 2015, and despite gaining more wealth than most people could imagine, Jocelyn managed to squander it on extravagant purchases of plastic surgery, clothing, jewelry, art, and even dozens of thousands of dollars. on annual telephone bills.
In 2018 he declared bankruptcy.
At the time, The Sunday Times reported, Jocelyn listed her checking account balance as ‘$0’ despite still having millions of dollars in assets, most of which were property.
His three luxury apartments in Trump Tower were also repossessed.
She claimed to Page Six that the vast majority of her wealth disappeared because one of the paintings that was part of the trust created for her in the divorce settlement, attributed to Diego Velázquez, turned out to be a forgery.
Meanwhile, a Cézanne that was expected to be auctioned for about $35 only sold for $4.7 million.
In June 2023, Jocelyn claimed she was bankrupt after having no income for eight years after her ex-husband’s family excluded her from their annual $100 million divorce settlement.
In addition to receiving a $2.5 million divorce settlement, her ex-husband would also pay her $100 million a year for 13 years (pictured in 2000).
However, her ex-husband’s family cut off payments in 2015 and Jocelyn managed to blow it on extravagant purchases.
In June 2023, Jocelyn claimed she was bankrupt after not having any income for eight years after she was separated by her ex-husband’s family (pictured in a much younger snapshot).
“I have a big problem with my agreement,” he said. Sunday weather, “For eight years, I have been completely isolated.”
Claiming he had no money, he added: “Zero, nothing in eight years.”
Jocelyn also spent her money on numerous cosmetic surgeries and by the ’90s she was completely unrecognizable.
They left her with slanted cat eyes, a prominent chin and exaggerated cheekbones, which some have compared to the face of a lion.
Despite the obvious change in her appearance, at one point she bizarrely claimed that she had never had plastic surgery and said that her appearance came from her Swiss heritage.
However, her ex-husband, Alec, insisted she had had work done, as he told Vanity Fair: “I was crazy.” I would always find out in the end. I was thinking I could fix his face like it was a piece of furniture. Skin doesn’t work that way. But she didn’t want to listen.
Jocelyn responded by saying she “hired a publicist and paid a plastic surgeon to certify that I had completely changed my face” to win the divorce, she claimed.
In 2018, when asked if she had surgery, Jocelyn responded: “No, especially when we look back at my photos; I think, of course, maybe I’m more beautiful (back then).
After their divorce, Jocelyn began dating fashion designer Lloyd Klein in 2003 (pictured in New York in 2022).
More recently he admitted to having undergone some procedures, although he downplayed their impact.
“I haven’t had plastic surgery, I’m scared of what might happen and I don’t like having something heavy, sometimes it’s a bit heavy and terrible,” she told The Sun in November.
He also said he hadn’t had any fillers and had heard unfortunate stories from those who had.
“I don’t like Botox,” she said, before adding: “Everyone has a different reaction.”
‘I have had Botox only twice. I don’t know if I’m allergic, but when I had it it didn’t go well. It wasn’t a good result, my face swelled.’
Following her divorce, Jocelyn began dating fashion designer Lloyd Klein in 2003.
Jocelyn died on Tuesday in Paris due to a pulmonary embolism.
The star was taking a nap in a Parisian palace at the time of her death, the outlet reported. Paris Party.
“Her partner Lloyd Klein is sad to announce the death of Jocelyn Wildenstein in Paris,” AFP shared.
She was last seen looking healthy on December 18 in Paris when she was with Klein.