By now, the world might be aware of Britney Spears going through a divorce. It's been a messy and wild ride for her and her fans. Rumors have it Spears is fronting the bill for Sam Asasghari's luxury Los Angeles apartment as they sort out the settlements. She's shelling out $10K for that.

Much like Spears, other celebrities have had expensive splits. We look at Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and even less wealthy names like Tiger Woods and Lionel Richie. The protection or lack thereof from a prenuptial agreement can change everything, and some celebrities have airtight prenups that keep their money safe. Britney Spears, for example, had an agreement with Asasghari that he would receive “$1 million per every two years” they were to remain married, but they only lasted for 14 months. That two-year part was able to keep her safe from losing millions.

With the Britney Spears and Asasghari drama and money that in mind, it's time to look at some of the most expensive celebrity breakups in the past.

4. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp – $7 million + lawsuit settlements

In 2016, Amber Heard, known for her role in Aquaman, initiated divorce proceedings against Johnny Depp, star of The Lone Ranger. The divorce was accompanied by a temporary restraining order issued against Johnny, with Amber alleging instances of physical abuse during their relationship. Subsequently, in August, a settlement was reached, with Amber receiving $7 million in addition to $50,000 per month in spousal support. During this process, Amber withdrew her request for a domestic violence restraining order. However, this didn't mark the end of their highly publicized separation. Thankfully, Spears won't have to go through all this.

In November 2020, their tumultuous relationship returned to the spotlight when Johnny, known for his role in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, lost a defamation lawsuit he had filed against The Sun newspaper in the UK. The newspaper had referred to him as a ‘wife-beater'. The legal saga continued into 2022 when Johnny pursued a defamation lawsuit in the US against Amber, who countersued, related to a Washington Post article she had authored about domestic abuse.

After appealing the eventual outcome of this case, the former couple settled in December 2022. As part of the settlement, Amber agreed to pay Johnny a sum of $1 million, which she disbursed to him in June 2023.

3. Michael Jordan and Juanita Jordan – $168 million

In the period spanning 1989 to 2006, Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy shared their lives in matrimony. Their divorce, occurring in 2006, is notably remembered for the whopping $168 million settlement that Juanita received, making it one of the most expensive celebrity-athlete separations at the time, according to HelloMagazine.

The couple, blessed with three children – sons Jeffrey and Marcus, along with a daughter named Jasmine – had experienced a brief separation in 2002 when Juanita initially filed for divorce. Although they reconciled temporarily, irreconcilable differences eventually led to their costly divorce in 2006.

In a joint statement conveyed through Michael Jordan's lawyer, Frederick J. Sperling, the couple announced, “Michael and Juanita Jordan mutually and amicably decided to end their 17-year marriage.” They also confirmed that a judgment for dissolution of their marriage had been entered, with no intentions of issuing further statements on the matter.

2.  Kim Kardashian and Kanye West – $200,000 per month

Following their 2021 separation, the focus shifted to how Kim Kardashian and Kanye West would divide their estimated $2.1 billion wealth. In November 2022, it was disclosed that neither party would provide spousal support to the other. While sharing joint custody of their four children – North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm – Kanye is mandated to pay a substantial $200,000 monthly in child support. Thus, their split was not devoid of significant financial implications. Britney Spears and Sam Asasghari's divorce could end up this expensive if she keeps having to pay for his apartment!

1. Bill Gates and Melinda Gates – unknown

Bill Gates and Melinda Gates shocked the world when they ended their 27-year marriage in May 2021. The co-founders of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gradually shed light on the reasons behind their unexpected split.

In their joint statement posted on Twitter, they explained their decision: “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives. We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.”

Bill and Melinda tied the knot in Lanai, Hawaii, in January 1994 and had three children together: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.

While the exact details of Melinda's divorce settlement remain undisclosed, the divorce petition, as reported by People, indicated that they would be dividing their assets. Despite their divorce, the couple continues to collaborate as co-chairs of their foundation, valued at approximately $40-50 billion.