The terms of Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos’ divorce have been revealed, and the now ex-wife of the company’s founder will give her ex-husband 75% of their stock in Amazon, as well as voting rights over her shares. MacKenzie will maintain 25% of their shared stock, which equates to a 4% stake in the company. That’s about $35 billion worth of stock, which will make MacKenzie the third richest woman on the planet, Forbesreports.
MacKenzie took to Twitter on Thursday to explain the terms of their settlement, and thank all the individuals who have shared kind messages with them throughout the process. She noted that she looks forward to the next chapter of she and Jeff’s relationship as “co-parents and friends.”
MacKenzie also noted in the post that she will waive all her interests in The Washington Post, the newspaper her ex-husband purchased in 2013, as well as aerospace company Blue Origin, so Jeff may “support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible companies.” Jeff echoed his ex-wife’s amicable spirit when he announced the news on Twitter, explaining he is “grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process.”
Jeff and MacKenzie met in the early ’90’s while both were working at D. E. Shaw, a New York-based hedge fund. Shortly after marrying, the two moved across the country to Seattle where Jeff ultimately launched Amazon. MacKenzie worked at the company for a brief time prior to shifting her focus on raising their four children. POST CONTINUES BELOW
In January, the couple announced that they would be seeking a divorce after 25 years of marriage. A day later, the National Enquirer ran a bombshell report alleging that the world’s richest man had been unfaithful to his wife with TV presenter Lauren Sanchez. Bezos accused the tabloid, owned and operated by American Media Inc., of trying to extort him.
The National Enquirer, which is run by Trump ally David Pecker, later released explicit text messages the Amazon CEO allegedly exchanged with Sanchez, which prompted Bezos to launch an investigation into how American Media Inc. obtained the conversations. The tech founder later suspected “political motives” may have played a role in the publication of the sexts, particularly given Trump’s unwavering disdain for the Washington Post and Bezos personally.