Michael Jordon Tops Celebrity Divorce List

Forbes has released yet another list, the celebrity divorce list.

The Forbes celebrity divorce list contains the top ten most expensive divorce settlements amongst US and the world's celebrities. The top three celebrity divorces are as follows. First place goes to Michael Jordan, second place goes to Neil Diamond and third place goes to Steven Spielberg.

Michael Jordan's divorce has still not been finalised but it is expected to be one of the most costly celebrity divorces in history. The former basketball star is getting divorced from his wife, Juanita Vanoy. The pair have been married for just under 18 years. It was during this time the Michael Jordan earned most of his fortune from playing basketball and lucrative endorsement contracts. Juanita Vanoy, who works as a Chicago bank office filed for divorce in 2006. It is possible that Vanoy will be entitled to half of the fortune Michael Jordan earning during their marriage. This means that she could walk away from the marriage with around $150 million dollars.

The second place celebrity on the Forbes celebrity divorce list is singer Neil Diamond. Neil Diamond was divorced from his second wife Marcia Murphy in 1996. The couple tied the not in 1969 just before Neil Diamond's 'Touching You, Touching Me' album shot the singer to stardom and a gold record. At the time of their marriage Marcia was working as Neil Diamond's assistant. Forbes quoted Neil Diamond saying about his now ex-wife that she was, "worth every penny". Marcia received a massive divorce settlement of somewhere around $150 million dollars.

In third place came Steven Speilberg. Speilberg and his wife Amy Irving, an actress, became divorced in 1989. The agreed upon settlement gave Amy Irving close to $100 million dollars, which is thought to be half of Speilberg's fortune at the time.

The now ex-wife of Harrison Ford, the fourth place finisher on the Forbes celebrity divorce list, came away from the marriage with a large fortune. The actor's first wife, Melissa Mathison was awarded not only $85 million dollars in the settlement but also ended up securing a share of any future money that Harrison Ford made from films that he was part of during their marriage.

The fifth place finisher is the well-known Kevin Costner. When Costner and his wife of sixteen years, Cindy Silva, divorced Silva walked away with close to $80 million dollars

Other finishers placed in the following order. The pending divorce of Paul McCarthy and Heather Mills come in sixth place. Heather Mills could walk away with as much as $60 million dollars. The seventh place finisher is James Cameron who paid his now ex-wife, Linda Hamilton, $50 million dollars. Michael Douglas finishes in eighth place for his divorce from his first wife, costing him $45 millions dollars. The ninth place finisher is musician Lionel Richie, who's second wife, Diane, received a payout of around $20 million dollars. In tenth place came Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall. Jerry Hall was given somewhere between $15 and $25 million dollars.

Sources
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1235827320070413?pageNumber=2
http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Entertainment-News/Article/Default.aspx?idx=768931
http://www.thestar.com/artsentertainment/article/202679