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Do you ever wonder how far people will go searching for the almighty dollar?
Unfortunately, some individuals have allowed their financial motives to dictate their relationships, resulting in a rather nefarious display of deceit and disregard for basic human values.
It is these very actions that characterized the famed gold diggers of our time, who opted to pursue personal gain over genuine connection.
Here, we will look at twelve infamous gold diggers who let greed dictate the course and outcome of their relationships.
#1. Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith is probably one of the most well-known gold diggers.
Marrying 87-year-old Howard Marshall at the tender age of 24, Anna Nicole Smith’s marriage to the oil baron only lasted 13 months before he passed away.
While she initially didn’t receive any money from the marriage, she took his son to court (who was the recipient of his fortune) and managed to walk away with $465 million.
She tragically passed away at 39.
#2. Amy Irving
You might not know Amy Irving, but you’ll likely know her ex-husband, Steven Spielberg.
Irving started dating Spielberg when she launched her career back in 1976.
Despite cheating on him with Willie Nelson after four years of their relationship, Spielberg and Irving got back together and tied the knot in 1985.
Spielberg had written a prenup on a napkin, but Irving’s divorce from him in 1989 cost him $100 million.
#3. Courtney Love
If you’ve ever heard of Nirvana or Kurt Cobain, you’ve heard of Courtney Love.
Love’s and Cobain’s relationship was a tragic one that ended in the death of Cobain in 1994.
Subsequently, Love received all of Cobain’s fortune.
This is a tough one, and there is a lot of blame thrown in Love’s way for Cobain’s passing.
#4. Oksana Grigorieva
Oksana Grigorieva was the wife of Mel Gibson, a relationship that wouldn’t last long.
In 2010, Gibson assaulted Grigorieva, to which she responded by filing a restraining order against him.
Their split would result in her receiving $750,000 in child support with the condition that she wasn’t allowed to speak out about the divorce publicly.
However, Grigorieva did just that when she discussed details of the split on the Howard Stern Show, dropping the initial $750,000 payment to $250,000.
#5. Heather Mills
Heather Mills is no stranger to big payouts.
The British model previously collided with a police officer and was awarded £200,000 after her leg was amputated as a result of the accident.
Then, she went on to come into the spotlight once again when she married Paul McCartney in 2002.
The 26-year age gap was a major red flag to most fans, and the marriage would only last six years.
Mills was awarded a whopping $50 million in the divorce, but she would say it wasn’t enough.
She would also start a smear campaign against McCartney.
But while the accusations of him being domineering and controlling were shocking, it turns out that she was lying, and it all unraveled.
#6. Kimora Lee Simmons
Kimora Lee Simmons is a bit different than some of the other gold diggers on this list.
Rather than marrying for money, Simmons was business-savvy, marrying to create an empire all her own.
Kimora Lee Simmons married Russel Simmons (co-founder of Def Jam) in 1998. She subsequently took over his fashion empire, Phat Farm, and made it her own.
When the marriage ended 11 years later, she would also turn this empire into a reality TV show to make a name for herself and profit from the brand.
#7. Kevin Federline
Don’t be fooled into thinking that only women can be gold diggers.
Men are gold diggers as well.
A well-known example of this is Kevin Federline.
Kevin Federline famously married Britney Spears back in 2004.
They had two children together, but the marriage lasted only three years.
After their marriage ended, Federline was awarded full custody of the children and granted $20,000 in child support each month.
Of course, he would keep getting around, having five children with three different women.
#8. Amber Rose
Amber Rose has a reputation for being a gold digger.
If you know anything about Kanye West, you’ll know that his song, “Gold Digger,” was likely written about her.
Rose and West were dating for only two years before they split up, and she would go on to marry rapper Wiz Khalifa.
Rose has since split from Khalifa, getting over $1 million due to a prenup she had signed.
#9. Ivana Trump
Ivana Trump may have modeled before meeting Donald, but it was her marriage that would grant her fame and fortune.
Her marriage to the then-business tycoon would give her access to all of his money, and she wouldn’t be hurting after the divorce either.
Her separation from Trump landed her $20,000 and a $14 million family estate in Connecticut.
#10. Blac Chyna
Blac Chyna gained fame when she started a relationship with rapper Tyga.
Like Rose, Chyna wouldn’t request anything from Tyga after the split, even though they had a child together.
Chyna then moved on to begin dating Rob Kardashian, who she quickly engaged and had a child with.
The relationship wouldn’t last long, and Chyna would manage to get $20,000 a month in child support.
#11. Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono is infamous for dating John Lennon of Beatles fame.
John Lennon would tragically be attacked in 1980 and pass away, and Ono would receive everything from him (alongside her son).
To this day, Ono continues to profit off of his name alongside the many art projects that she has launched and business endeavors she has pursued on the side.
#12. Peggy Hopkins Joyce
Peggy Hopkins Joyce might be a little obscure in comparison to other gold diggers here, given that she was around in the early 1900s, but she’s certainly worth a mention.
Peggy Hopkins Joyce made a name for herself as an actress and a gold digger, famously marrying millionaires and marrying six times throughout her life.
Her name became synonymous with excess, and she starred in a wide range of movies that would be censored for their steamy content (she did well for herself even though she had a habit of spending her husband’s money).
Even better, she became famous for spending a significant chunk of her third husband’s fortune, blowing approximately $1 million in just one week.
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I have over 15 years experience in the financial services industry and 20 years investing in the stock market. I have both my undergrad and graduate degrees in Finance, and am FINRA Series 65 licensed and have a Certificate in Financial Planning.
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