by Bruce Tyson

Created on: July 01, 2010

In what is said to be the most expensive celebrity divorce of all time, Tiger Woods pays a staggering sum of $750 million to ex-wife Elin Nordegren. Tiger buys her silence but has to keep lovers away from the children. In addition to the $750 million, Elin gets the Windermere house, Swedish property, and physical custody of the kids.

The divorce negotiations first sought a figure nearly half of the final settlement, but quickly escalated after attorneys working for Elin found assets hidden by Tiger that proved his net worth to be much higher than the previously supposed $1 billion.

During a very public marital meltdown, Tiger Woods shocked the world as news of his tawdry affairs and sexual rampages emerged in print and on the Internet. For better or worse, the world will never hear what Elin has to say about the golf superstar. Tiger had feared that Elin would publish her side of the story, sending his re-emergent career back into disgrace. This part of the divorce is so stringent that if she divulges her knowledge in any form – even if Tiger dies – she loses the fortune.

Married women who are not having affairs with Tiger and female staffers working for Tiger are the only ones permitted to be near the couple’s children. This rules out girlfriends, sex workers, and other romantic partners. This clause addresses Elin’s fear that the children could be exposed to unseemly activity while staying with their father.

Although Elin has physical custody of the children, she shares legal custody with Tiger, meaning she will not be allowed to move them to her native Sweden

Before you worry about Tiger, he will hardly be penniless. Although paying a sizeable portion of his wealth for his illicit conduct, he retains the couple’s new mansion in Jupiter Island, Florida, a multimillion dollar Los Angeles apartment.

Now that the details of their divorce have been agreed upon, many expect legal filing to be forthcoming in a matter of days.

Prior to Tiger Woods’ divorce from Elin, Michael Jordan held the title to the most expensive celebrity divorce in a legal action that cost him over $150 million in payments to ex-wife Juanita. Now in third place, Neil Diamond's divorce from Marcia Murphey at a price of $150 million now seems like a “Blue Light Special” compared to the price tag Tiger Woods is paying.

Sources:

"Forbes: Michael Jordan's Divorce Most Costly Ever." Fox News. April 16, 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266343,00.html (accessed June 30, 2010).

Samson, Pete. "No birdies in front of kids, Tiger." The Sun. June 30, 2010. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre /usa/3035261/Tiger-Woods-banned-from-letting-girlfri ends-near-kids-in-divorce-deal.html (accessed June 30, 2010).

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