After 20 years of marriage—an eternity in the world of celebrity couples—Kenny Gs’ wife has filed for divorce from her musically gifted husband.

According to the website TMZ.com, Kenny G’s wife, Lyndie Benson-Gorelick filed for divorce last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court. In her petition, she cited the couple’s “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for her divorce request.

Together, the couple has produced two sons, so the divorce proceedings will likely include some wrangling over child custody.

And, in news that may not bode well for Kenny G (whose birth name is Kenneth Bruce Gorelick), sources indicate that the jazz star is worth upwards of $50 million, and his soon-to-be-ex-wife will likely win a large portion of that wealth in divorce court.

Sources suggest that the couple will not seek to quietly negotiate this divorce behind the scenes, as both parties have signed up with powerful celebrity divorce attorneys.

Lyndie Benson-Gorelick reportedly enlisted the services of Gary Fishbein, who has represented several other celebrities of moderate fame, including Gabriel Aubry and Nikki Sixx.

Not to be outdone, Kenny G has reportedly sought legal assistance from Laura Wasser, whose past clients include bona fide stars like Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian, and Angelina Jolie.

Of course, the fact that they have secured the aid of high-powered attorneys does not mean that the couple will engage in divorce warfare inside a courtroom.

Many celebrity couples prefer to agree to settlements behind the scenes, and these negotiations can be plenty intense, as well.

The celebrity preference for settlements reflects the fact that divorce court proceedings become available to the public after they occur. In contrast, settlements allow both parties to conceal the terms of the divorce from prying public eyes.

Still, settlements require some sort of cooperation on the part of both spouses, which is often a tall task for couples who have not split in an amicable fashion.

In the meantime, Kenny G will continue his reign as America’s foremost smooth jazz saxophonist. According to his website, he is the best-selling instrumental musician of the modern era, with total global sales of more than 75 million albums.

Kenny G’s wealth, however, comes not only from his musical talents, but also from savvy investing decisions. Sources indicate that the jazz legend was an early investor in the Starbucks coffee house chain, where coffee drinkers can occasionally hear his smooth jazz stylings pierce their unsuspecting ears.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

During his career as a professional athlete, Deion Sanders was known for as much for his flashy play as for his technical prowess. Unfortunately, Sanders is now making headlines for allegations of abuse made by his wife during their recent divorce process.

According to alleged divorce records uncovered by TMZ.com, Sanders’ wife, Pilar, has alleged that her husband committed numerous acts of adultery during their 12-year marriage, and that he subjected her to “physical, mental, and emotional abuse.”

In addition to these potentially damning allegations, Pilar Sanders also claims that her husband has “a narcissistic personality disorder” and that he is a “bully.”

In the divorce, Pilar Sanders is seeking full custody of the couple’s three children, and is also looking to have the court throw out their prenuptial agreement.

Wealthy people, particularly celebrities, often make their spouses sign prenuptial agreements before a marriage in order to reduce their potential financial losses in the event of a divorce. Some agreements, for example, will cap one partner’s potential alimony payments at a certain amount.

Prenuptial agreements are usually enforced by courts, as long as they were the product of an arm’s-length agreement, but if one of the parties acted in a particularly egregious manner during the marriage, a friendly court might set a prenuptial agreement aside.

In an interview earlier this month with a Dallas radio station, Sanders fervently denied his wife’s allegations, claiming that he and his wife remain “friends” and that the reports of hostility within the divorce proceedings were exaggerated.

Allegations of narcissism may not strike football fans as particularly surprising, given that Sanders and his larger-than-life character made him one of the most polarizing sports figures of the 1990s.

Sanders played football for both the Atlanta Falcons and the Dallas Cowboys, where he cemented his reputation as one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time. In addition to his football tenure, Sanders also played professional baseball for several years.

Sanders was perhaps the originator of the exaggerated “touchdown dance” and was known to strut triumphantly down the sideline with raised legs when he was in the open field.

Now, Sanders is a television personality and has also received some positive media attention for his work as a mentor with younger athletes.

The Sanders divorce raises some interesting issues of privacy amidst divorce. Divorcing couples should be warned that, if their divorce goes to court, the proceedings do become part of the public record.

Of course, non-celebrity couples need not worry about TMZ sifting through their court records, but because divorce often involves sensitive issues, some couples are reluctant to publicly air their dirty laundry.

Due to this concern, many couples opt instead for a divorce settlement outside of court. These settlements usually remain confidential, but they do require the cooperation of both parties and their divorce attorneys.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

Popular singer Seal and his supermodel wife, Heidi Klum, announced this week that they are collectively filing for divorce, according to a recent report from celebrity sleuth TMZ.

The couple released a joint statement this week that put an end to swirling rumors that their marriage was on the rocks. In their own words, “while we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul searching we have decided to separate.”

The couple also said, “we have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart.”

Alas, the couple has grown apart, and there’s little an adoring public can do to repair the union of the celebrity power couple, who wed in 2005 and have raised four children together, including Klum’s daughter from a prior relationship.

Klum and Seal won the admiration of many people in 2005, as they presented an odd, but emotionally touching partnership.

A childhood disease rendered Seal’s face and neck heavily scarred, and the supermodel’s relationship with him seemed to serve as a sort of inspiration to others with some disfigurement, or lesson about compassion, or perhaps nothing at all.

Regardless of the meaning behind their union, the public embraced their marriage, and Seal and Klum’s careers were both bolstered by their relationship.

And, at least publicly, they appeared to be very happy. Klum and Seal both starred in the music video “Secret,” they famously renewed their marital vows on each anniversary, and often made public appearance together, in which they were typically seen canoodling like happy lovers.

The two also hosted epic Halloween bashes each October when they would dress in famously bizarre outfits.

Adding a bit of saccharine to the obituary for the couple’s marriage, the website The Ledger observed that, in a 2007 interview with the Associated Press, Seal described his wife as his “best friend.”

Unfortunately, though, Seal’s “best friend” may have to do some physical remodeling, as she has a tattoo of his name on her arm, according to sources.

The divorce announcement comes at a strange time for the signer of “Kiss From a Rose,” as he also plans to release his newest album this week. The album, “Soul 2,” contains songs like “Love T.K.O,” “Let’s Stay Together” and “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”

The couple, however, hopes to have a peaceful divorce, and both appear prepared to handle the unique difficulties that arise when protecting children in divorce.

In their own words, “[t]his is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition. We thank our family, friends, and fans for their kind words of support. And for our children’s sake, we appreciate you respecting our privacy.”

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

In news that is sure to disconcert her dozens of loyal fans, actress Mena Suvari was recently seen filing for divorce from her second husband, the spicily named Simone Sestito.

According to reports from several outlets, including tireless celebrity watcher TMZ, the 32-year-old star of the film “American Beauty” cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for her split from Sestito, who is a member of the dubious brotherhood of national concert promoters.

Suvari filed for divorce in a court in Los Angeles last week and sources indicate that the actress has asked the judge to bar her husband from receiving alimony payments, which does not come as a large surprise due to Suvari’s likely status as the wealthier of the two partners.

Still, despite her request for exemption from alimony payments, she may still have to pay some money to her ex-husband, provided that he wants it.

Modern alimony laws have shifted from the traditional norm (which dictated that money typically flowed from the husband to the wife after a divorce), and judges are now more likely to make wives pay their former husbands if the partners’ incomes are widely different.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the judge in Suvari’s case will honor or ignore her request, and only time will tell whether Sestito will gain financially from the separation.

The divorce comes as a bit of a surprise, as the couple was wed in 2010 in an opulent ceremony inside Vatican City, Italy, which is also famous for housing a man with a giant white hat. Sources do not indicate whether the pope presided over the Hollywood couple’s nuptials.

To be fair, sources indicate that the couple picked Italy for their ceremony because of its proximity to several of Sestito’s relatives.

This represents the second divorce for Suvari, who previously split from her first husband, cinematographer Robert Brinkmann, in May of 2005.

The marriage between Suvari and Sestito, who was seven years younger than his famous wife, lasted only 18 months before Suvari determined that she needed to end the arrangement.

The couple had met at the Toronto Film Festival in 2007 while Suvari was promoting her movie “Stuck” and, according to Sestito, the two “just understood each other.”Sestito proposed to his bride in 2008, while the couple was vacationing on the beaches of Jamaica.

Of course, while the marriage did not last particularly long, it seemed to be an average duration for a celebrity marriage, which aren’t necessarily more tumultuous than the average American marriage, but tend to garner more public attention.

And, even though celebrities have much-publicized divorces, they must also deal with the same mundane and taxing legal challenges that are inherent in any modern divorce. Suvari’s case will likely be no different.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

Details of celebrity divorces are often plastered all over the news, but not every celebrity divorce is created equal. Some celebrity separations are so costly that they stretch the bounds of one’s imagination.

Recently, the editors at Investing Answers, Inc. created a list of the six most expensive divorces for celebrity athletes, and the list contains a few surprising residents.

The leaders, though, will not come as surprising. Topping the list of most expensive celebrity divorces are Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa Bryant, who divorced late last year, despite Kobe’s efforts to keep his spouse in the form of a $4 million diamond ring.

The ring, alas, was not enough to convince Vanessa to remain in the marriage, and experts expect that she could receive upwards of $75 million in the divorce, which is partially a result of Bryant’s failure to include a prenuptial agreement in their initial marriage agreement.

Sources also indicate that Vanessa Bryant could receive alimony for the rest of her life under California’s friendly divorce laws.

Next on the list of most expensive athlete divorces are Tiger Woods and his embattled wife Elin Nordegren, who were the subject of constant media attention after a bizarre incident in which Tiger ran his SUV into a fire hydrant and his wife allegedly freed him from the car by bashing it with a golf club.

After this incident, it was revealed that the famous golfer had engaged in numerous affairs, which led Nordegren to promptly file for divorce from her philandering husband.

Some experts believe that Woods got a good deal in the divorce settlement, as he only paid Nordegren a reported $100 million, which represents a relatively small portion of his total net worth, which is estimated to be between $500 and $600 million.

Third on the list of athlete divorces is baseball player Alex Rodriguez, who divorced Cynthia Scurtis after he was photographed with an exotic dancer and rumored to be romantically involved with pop star Madonna.

The couple did sign a prenuptial agreement, which may have minimized Rodriguez’s losses, as he reportedly gave her tens of millions of dollars, as well as the couple’s $12 million mansion in Florida.

Next on the list is basketball star Michael Jordan, who divorced his wife Juanita Vanoy after more than two decades of marriage. The divorce reportedly cost Jordan $168 million, which, at the time, represented the largest athlete divorce settlement ever.

Rounding out the list are golfer Greg Norman and cyclist Lance Armstrong, whose divorces cost them roughly $103 million and $14 million, respectively.

The lesson here, as always, is that if you are going to marry a wildly successful athlete, you would be well advised to sign a prenuptial agreement at the beginning of the union, to help minimize divorce costs down the road.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

As he continues to poll strongly in the race to represent the Republican party in the 2012 presidential election, Newt Gingrich has started to face more questions about his previous divorces, which remain a potential roadblock for the conservative candidate.

And reporters are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of the truth about Gingrich’s first divorce, which he claims was first pursued by his wife, rather than through his own initiative, according to a recent report in the New York Times.

Court documents suggest that Gingrich’s first divorce in 1980, in which he separated from his wife, Jackie Battley Gingrich, was initiated by the politician, rather than his wife.

According to sources, court documents discovered in Carroll County, Georgia show that Gingrich himself asked for the divorce. And his wife did not seem to support this decision, as she asked a judge to block the divorce because, at the time, she did “not admit that this marriage is irretrievably broken.”

This information directly contradicts a statement on the Gingrich campaign’s website, which claims that Gingrich did not actively seek a divorce from his first wife.

Gingrich’s 1980 divorce was particularly noteworthy because it occurred around the same time that Jackie Gingrich was receiving medical treatment for cancer, although the tumor that doctors removed from her body proved to be benign.

This tale, however, proved to be fodder for Gingrich’s critics, who questioned the sincerity of his socially conservative views after he allegedly opened divorce discussions while his wife was in the hospital.

In 1985, the first Mrs. Gingrich told the Washington Post that her husband’s offer of a divorce “came as a complete surprise,” despite Gingrich’s alleged claims that the couple had been talking about it for a decade.

Despite claims that Gingrich proposed a divorce while his wife was suffering from cancer, Jackie’s daughter, Jackie Gingrich Cushman, recently claimed that her parents had discussed divorce before the tumor operation.

Gingrich Cushman has also made several campaign appearances on behalf of her father, and appears to support Gingrich despite his own admission that he has made errors in personal judgment during his life.

The media’s focus on Gingrich’s personal history—which includes three marriages and two divorces—has been criticized by the candidate’s supporters.

Some believe that his personal life is irrelevant to his ability to the lead the country, and that voters should judge Gingrich based on his police proposals, not his past divorce filings.

On the other hand, critics of Gingrich believe that his past offers an important glimpse into the man’s values, which would inevitably play an important role in how he governs, if he is eventually elected.

Regardless of which side is correct, the media’s focus on Gingrich’s personal life seems a bit old-fashioned, as divorce no longer carries the same social stigma it may have held several decades ago.

Gone are the days when a trip to a divorce attorney caused a serious dent to one’s personal reputation. Well, this theory may prove true when it comes to most Americans, but it may be suspended for people who are running for the nation’s most important elected office.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

A businessman in Los Angeles is facing the possibility of several years in prison after allegedly bilking Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife out of several million dollars she had gained from her divorce settlement with the famous actor and comedian.

While the divorcee is referred to in court papers only by her initials, sources indicate that the victim of the alleged fraud is Nicole Murphy, who recently divorced Eddie Murphy after a 12-year marriage.

For allegedly stealing most of the $7 million Nicole Murphy had received from her ex-husband as part of their divorce agreement, 45-year-old Troy David Stratos is facing 14 different criminal charges, including fraud, money laundering, and obstructing justice.

Sources indicate that Nicole Murphy also filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles against Stratos last year, and then re-filed the same claim against Stratos in state court in Florida this May.

According to court documents, Stratos allegedly convinced Murphy to let him invest the proceeds of her alimony settlement.

Stratos had presented himself as an entrepreneur, and claimed that that he was a movie producer, as well as a talent promoter.

Stratos’ appeal proved convincing, as Murphy established a revocable trust that allowed Stratos to invest her money as he pleased. This decision, however, proved to be disastrous, as Stratos allegedly spent the bulk of the money on himself.

In addition to spending the money on goods for himself, Stratos also established a bank account in Florida and used Murphy’s own money to pay certain expenses that he had promised he would cover himself.

The alleged fraud, however, did not stop there. Stratos convinced Murphy that she should purchase luxury vehicles to package with her mansion in Granite Bay, California, in order to improve her odds of selling the home.

But instead of selling the house, Stratos remained in the residence rent-free, and used the vehicles as his personal cars, without making any real effort at selling the home. Stratos also convinced Murphy to refinance several of her mortgages, which allowed Stratos to pocket more short-term cash.

All told, Murphy alleges that Stratos and other defendants named in the federal lawsuit stole upwards of $11 million. If he is convicted on all 14 charges, Stratos faces up to 30 years in prison.

And, while this may seem like an extreme example of fraud, women who receive large divorce settlements are often uncertain how to invest their new money.

As a result, many people are vulnerable to potential scam artists after receiving a healthy divorce settlement.

If you or someone you love has recently received a large sum of money after a divorce, do some research for financial professionals that can help you safely invest your cash. If someone promises high interest rates with little risk, be very cautious about signing on to such an unrealistic bargain.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

From the Department of Relatively Unsurprising News, Vanessa Bryant, the long-suffering wife of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, has filed for divorce from her husband of ten years.

According to a report this week from ESPN, Vanessa Bryant, who bravely stood by her husband when be faced sexual assault allegations in the spring of 2003, filed for divorce in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the couple’s separation.

A divorce attorney representing one of the parties said that “[t]he Bryants have resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately with the assistance of counsel and a judgment dissolving their marital status will be entered in 2012.”

A statement released by the parties also asked for privacy, although, given the couple’s celebrity status and rocky marriage, this wish will likely not be granted by national media outlets.

In her filing, Vanessa Bryant asked for joint custody (both legal and physical) of the couple’s two children, Natalia and Gianna. In his response to his wife’s divorce petition, Kobe Bryant also asked for joint custody of the children.

Vanessa Bryan has also asked for spousal support from her husband, which could prove to be a substantial sum because the couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement limiting future alimony recovery when they were marred.

The absence of a prenuptial agreement is particularly striking in light of the popular trend for celebrities with deep pockets to require potential life partners to sign waivers limiting their rights to future money in the event of a divorce.

In particular, well-paid athletes often require their spouses to sign prenuptial agreements as a routine matter before getting married. However, Kobe and Vanessa married at a very young age, when Kobe was 21 and Vanessa was 19.

At the time, Kobe had very little career earnings and likely did not consider the potential financial advantages of a prenuptial agreement.

The couple, who quickly became NBA royalty, met each other in 1999 on the set of a music video shoot. The two married in April 2001.

Their marriage became a much-discussed topic in 2003, when Kobe Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a maid at a hotel near Vail, Colorado.

During a press conference in which Kobe Bryant expressed his innocence, and also admitted to committing adultery, Vanessa Bryant sat patiently next to her husband, and vowed to stand next to her spouse in a statement released to the media.

In 2004, Colorado prosecutors eventually dropped the criminal charges after the alleged victim decided that she did not want to continue with the trial.

At the time, it appeared that the Bryants’ marriage might be saved, but recent reports of other alleged infidelities may have pushed Vanessa Bryant to finally end the couple’s marriage.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

After a heartbreaking divorce that devastated a nation, Kim Kardashian and her former husband, New Jersey Nets basketball star Kris Humphries, have begun waging a public relations battle in an effort to win the latter stages of their divorce.

For his part, Humphries seems to be the more sympathetic of the two, as he (seemingly genuinely) claims he was blindsided by the divorce, or so he told viewers on a recent interview with Good Morning America.

According to ABC News, Humphries said, “I love my wife and am devastated to learn she filed for divorce.” It seems that Humphries was caught completely by surprise when Kardashian moved to eliminate their marriage after only 72 days of matrimonial bliss.

In his recent interview, Humphries claimed that focusing on the next basketball season, which will be played but was delayed by a long labor dispute between owners and players, has helped him start recovering emotionally from the surprising divorce.

In a bizarre twist on most divorces, this couple’s split has gained national attention because their entire relationship has been closely documented on “Keeping up With the Kardashians,” the Kardashian family’s televised cash cow.

In the current season of the reality show, tensions are raised when Humphries expresses his desire to return home to Minnesota to train for the upcoming basketball season, while Kardashian balks at having to live in the less-chic environs of central Minnesota.

When Humphries departs for Minnesota, Kardashian objects and claims that she wants to maintain her dual life in Los Angeles and New York.

Moreover, Humphries also planned to retire to his native Minnesota after his playing career ended, which may have put the final nail in the marital coffin, as far as Kardashian was concerned.

The couple’s divorce process, though, may be more interesting than their marriage. Sources indicate that Humphries recently filed paperwork to have the marriage annulled, rather than accept Kardashian’s offer of divorce.

Some observers claim that annulment would allow Humphries to move on with his life quicker than he could in the event of a divorce, but other sources claim that the annulment could be a savvy business decision for Humphries.

Apparently, Humphries signed a prenuptial agreement that included a clause preventing him from publicly discussing details of the couple’s relationship in the event of a divorce.

If, instead of a divorce, the marriage is simply annulled, that premarital agreement would probably not have a binding legal effect, and Humphries would be free to travel the television interview circuit, saying whatever he pleased about his former spouse.

For his part, Humphries also claims that he refuses to watch the Kardashians’ reality show, despite his prominent role on this season’s episodes. Humphries, it seems, simply wants an opportunity to tell his side of the story.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz, who were once considered a celebrity couple of moderate musical fame, recently finalized their divorce settlement after months of negotiations between their respective divorce attorneys.

Simpson and Wentz finalized their divorce proceedings a few weeks ago in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to court documents viewed by the Los Angeles Times and other sources.

Interestingly, the couple kept the details of their split close to their (trendy) vests, as the court documents reveal that the pair have a secret 103-page divorce settlement that will only be filed with the court if they have a dispute about it in the coming years.

Thus, by keeping the divorce settlement out of official court records, which are usually open to the public, Simpson and Wentz were able to maintain a modicum of privacy in their divorce agreement.

Of course, with 103 pages of likely detailed divorce negotiations, the odds that the couple may have a future dispute seem relatively high. In this event, the couple would have to air their dirty laundry, since a court couldn’t enforce terms that weren’t visible to it.

The divorce brings an end to a relatively short romance, though it seemed fairly long-lasting by Hollywood standards, particularly because both parties gained fame at such early ages.

Simpson and Wentz were married in May 2008, and had their first son, Bronx Mowgli, six months later. Almost three months later, Simpson filed for divorce in February 2011.

When she announced the divorce, Simpson also released a statement addressing the couple’s split, saying, “[w}e remain friends and deeply committed and loving parents to our son Bronx, whose happiness and well-being remains our No. 1 priority.”

Thus far, it seems the couple has abided by this promise, as the quiet divorce settlement keeps information about their son and the former spouses’ child custody arrangements out of the public eye.

Of course, while the couple has handled the divorce with class, sources indicate that Ashlee Simpson sought to end the marriage because of Wentz’s allegedly “erratic behavior.” For his part, Wentz denied this allegation and initially tried to convince Simpson to remain in the marriage.

Despite this apparent discord, sources indicate that the ex-partners have maintained an amicable relationship since their divorce, as evidenced by their frequent public appearances together with their son.

In addition, the divorce does not seem to have cramped their respective romantic styles, as Ashlee Simpson has been rumored to be dating actor Vincent Piazza, who is currently starring in “Boardwalk Empire,” and Wentz has been tied to model Meagan Camper.

Simpson originally gained fame for her singing talent, as well as her status as the younger sister of Jessica Simpson, who, sources say, used to be a compelling celebrity. Wentz also won fame for his musicianship through his role as the bassist for the band Fall Out Boy.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.