Discussions around the world’s most expensive divorces have resurfaced, this time drawing attention to an Indian name. Zoho founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu has found himself at the centre of global headlines
after a California court in the United States directed him to deposit a bond of $1.7 billion (roughly Rs 15,000 crore) in connection with his divorce proceedings.
Although the order was passed last year, details of the case entered the public domain only recently, triggering widespread interest. The amount involved is being described as the costliest divorce linked to an Indian businessman and among the four most expensive divorces globally.
Vembu married Pramila Srinivasan in 1993, and the couple has a son. In recent years, the Zoho founder has been running his software giant largely from India and is widely known for his austere lifestyle and public advocacy of rural development. The sheer scale of the divorce settlement has therefore come as a surprise to many.
According to Forbes, Sridhar Vembu’s net worth stood at approximately $5.85 billion in 2024, placing him 39th on the list of India’s richest individuals.
Globally, the benchmark for high-value divorces continues to be the separation of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Melinda Gates. After 27 years of marriage, the couple announced their split in May 2021. Melinda Gates is believed to have received assets worth around $73 billion, including shares, investments and real estate, making it the most expensive divorce in recorded history.
Second on the list is the 2019 divorce of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott. Scott reportedly received around $38 billion as part of the settlement. Since then, she has emerged as one of the world’s most prominent philanthropists, while Bezos continues to rank among the wealthiest individuals globally.
The third most expensive divorce is that of French-American art dealer Alec Wildenstein and Jocelyn Wildenstein. Their marriage ended in 1999 after 21 years, with Jocelyn receiving nearly $3.8 billion, a case that captivated international media at the time.
Other notable names include media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, whose divorce from Maria Torv after 31 years of marriage reportedly cost about $1.7 billion, and casino magnate Steve Wynn, whose separation from Elaine Wynn involved close to $1 billion in alimony.
