From one of the wealthiest people on the planet to 'flat broke': How did 'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein lose all her billions as star dies aged 84
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Jocelyn Wildenstein was once one of the wealthiest 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 flat broke in 2023 after she was cut off from her $100 million annual divorce settlement.
![[The Swiss-born star came from humble origins before she married Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, who was the son of the French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein (pictured 1999)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/10/93669101-14243435-The_Swiss_born_star_came_from_humble_origins_before_she_married_-m-49_1735814298778.jpg)
The Swiss-born star came from humble origins before she married Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, who was the son of the French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein. Their family presided over Wildenstein & Co., an influential Paris-based art dealership and after Jocelyn and Alec split she became one of the wealthiest people on the planet.
![[As well as receiving a $2.5 billion divorce settlement, Jocelyn was also to be paid $100 million per year for 13 years by her ex-husband (pictured in 2000)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/10/93262119-14243435-Her_throwback_photo_was_taken_at_the_Kenyan_ranch_of_her_late_ex-a-46_1735814246499.jpg)
The pair divorced in 1999 and the financial settlement left her with more than $2 billion, plus millions more annually. Although he filed for divorce in Switzerland, where Jocelyn was less likely to get a significant divorce settlement, she ended up receiving what should have been a windfall — a reported $2.5 billion.
![[However, her ex-husband's family cut off the payments in 2015 and Jocelyn managed to fritter it away through extravagant purchases]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/10/93669149-14243435-image-a-48_1735814273223.jpg)
From one of the wealthiest people on the planet to 'broke': How did 'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein lose all her billions as star dies aged 84. The Swiss-born star came from humble origins before she married Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, who was the son of the French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein (pictured 1999).
![[In June 2023, Jocelyn claimed she was flat broke after not having any income for eight years after her ex-husband's family cut her off (pictured in a throwback snap much younger)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/10/93652161-14243435-Here_she_is_seen_at_a_much_younger_age_as_she_held_onto_a_child-a-47_1735814259396.jpg)
On top of that, she was to be paid $100 million per year for 13 years by her ex-husband, and later his estate following his death in 2008 at 67. However, her ex-husband's family cut off the payments in 2015 and despite obtaining more wealth than most people could ever imagine, Jocelyn managed to fritter it away through extravagant purchases on plastic surgery, clothing, jewels, art and even tens of thousands of dollars in annual phone bills.
![[Following her divorce, Jocelyn began dating the fashion designer Lloyd Klein in 2003 (pictured in New York in 2022)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/10/72267177-14243435-Jocelyn_and_her_longtime_fianc_e_French_Canadian_designer_Lloyd_-a-50_1735814547530.jpg)
