Notorious Celebrity Gold Diggers

We often hear about the exciting and dramatic love lives of celebrities, but sometimes those relationships seem more about money and social standing. The idea of someone marrying for wealth – often called a ‘gold digger’ – is well-known in Hollywood and beyond, with stories of fast weddings, large divorce settlements, and public scandals that continue to fascinate us.

These women come from diverse fields like modeling, acting, and music, and their relationships with wealthy and famous people have generated a lot of public curiosity. Although some achieved success independently, many are better known for the money involved in their relationships than for their own accomplishments.

Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith began her career as a model and rose to fame when she was chosen as Playmate of the Year in 1993. While working as a dancer in Houston, Texas, she met and later married J. Howard Marshall, a very wealthy oil tycoon, in 1994. Their relationship gained significant media attention due to the large age difference – she was 26, and he was 89.

Following the death of her husband, Marshall, in 1995 – just over a year into their marriage – Smith sought half of his estate, despite being excluded in his will. This sparked a lengthy legal battle that reached the US Supreme Court on several occasions. Before her death in 2007 due to a drug overdose, she also starred in a reality TV show and appeared in commercials.

Heather Mills

Heather Mills began her career as a model and later dedicated herself to charitable causes, particularly raising awareness about landmines. She met Paul McCartney in 1999 while attending a charity event, and they married in 2002. After six years, the couple divorced in 2008.

The divorce settlement gave Mills approximately 50 million dollars, consisting of cash, property, and yearly payments. While she alleged abuse by McCartney during the divorce, the judge questioned the validity of some of her accusations. Following the separation, Mills remained active in advocacy and also participated in reality television programs such as Dancing with the Stars.

Kevin Federline

Kevin Federline started out as a backup dancer, performing with artists such as Justin Timberlake. In 2004, he met Britney Spears when she was a major pop star, and they quickly married. The couple had two sons together, but their marriage ended in divorce in 2007.

For a period, Federline had custody of their children and received $13 million as part of their divorce settlement, in addition to ongoing child support. He then tried his hand at a music career, releasing an album, and also appeared on reality shows about weight loss. He’s now remarried and generally lives a more private life.

Amber Heard

Amber Heard is an actress who appeared in films such as Aquaman. She began a relationship with Johnny Depp in 2011 while filming The Rum Diary, and they married in 2015. Their marriage ended in a highly publicized divorce in 2016, following accusations of abuse made by both Heard and Depp.

Heard received a $7 million settlement, which she has promised to give to charity. The legal disputes continued with highly publicized defamation lawsuits. She remains active in both major films and advocacy work, particularly raising awareness about domestic violence.

Courtney Stodden

Courtney Stodden first became well-known as a teenage model and through reality television. She married actor Doug Hutchison in 2011, with her parents’ permission, when she was 16 and he was 51. The couple later appeared on shows such as Couples Therapy before ultimately separating in 2018.

Stodden has pursued a music career and is a vocal advocate for animal rights, working with PETA. She later publicly identified as non-binary and has openly discussed her struggles with mental health. She has also been featured in the media and has had other romantic relationships.

Blac Chyna

Blac Chyna began her career as a model and dancer, appearing in music videos such as Tyga’s “Rack City.” She and rapper Tyga dated from 2011 and had a son together before ending their relationship. Later, in 2016, she became engaged to Rob Kardashian and they had a daughter.

Chyna has created a successful business selling cosmetics and clothing. She’s been on reality TV, including Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and has taken legal steps to secure financial support after past relationships. She continues to focus on building her businesses.

Crystal Harris

Crystal Harris is a model and singer who began a relationship with Hugh Hefner in 2009. They married in 2012, despite a significant age difference of 60 years, and remained together until Hefner passed away in 2017.

Holly Harris gained recognition through her appearances on The Girls Next Door and pursued a music career. After inheriting assets from a previous relationship, including real estate, she has continued to date and build a career in the entertainment industry.

Marla Maples

Marla Maples is an actress and television personality who first gained attention through beauty pageants. She began a relationship with Donald Trump in the late 1980s while he was still married to someone else, and they eventually married in 1993. Together, they had a daughter, but they divorced in 1999.

Maples reached a financial agreement that included both money and real estate. She’s also been on television programs such as Dancing with the Stars and Oprah’s Where Are They Now? Currently, she’s dedicated to raising her daughter and prioritizing her own well-being.

Guy Ritchie

As a film fan, I’ve always loved Guy Ritchie’s work – especially movies like *Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels*. Beyond his films, a lot of people remember his relationship with Madonna. They actually met back in 1998 and got married a couple of years later, in 2000. They built a family, having one son and adopting another, but unfortunately, they divorced in 2008.

Ritchie’s divorce settlement was worth between $76 and $92 million, including property. He continued to direct successful films like Sherlock Holmes, and has since remarried and broadened his work into television and film projects.

Kris Humphries

Kris Humphries is a retired basketball player who played in the NBA for teams including the Nets and Celtics. He began dating Kim Kardashian in 2010, and they quickly married the following year. However, the marriage didn’t last long, ending in divorce after just 72 days.

Humphries initially tried to end his marriage by claiming he’d been deceived, but they ultimately reached a settlement. He went back to playing basketball before retiring from the sport. Since then, he’s been concentrating on business, including owning fast food restaurants.

Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon is a well-known entertainer – an actor, comedian, and TV host, famous for shows like America’s Got Talent. He married singer Mariah Carey in 2008, and they had twins together. The couple later separated in 2014 and finalized their divorce in 2016.

Cannon reached a financial agreement and continues to co-parent his children. He’s also grown his career by releasing music and producing television shows. Beyond that, he’s been in other romantic relationships and currently hosts several programs.

David Gest

David Gest was a music producer and well-known TV personality. He married singer Liza Minnelli in a grand wedding in 2002, but the marriage ended after just over a year. Their divorce was finalized in 2007, and both Gest and Minnelli made accusations against each other.

Gest alleged that Judy Minnelli was unwell in an attempt to invalidate their prenuptial agreement and claim a share of her wealth. He was also known for appearing on reality television shows, including ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here,’ and died in 2016.

Dean McDermott

Okay, so Dean McDermott is one of those actors you see a lot in made-for-TV movies. I remember when the tabloids went crazy about him and Tori Spelling – they actually met on a movie set back in 2005, but both of them were married at the time! It was a whole thing. They ended up getting married themselves in 2006, and now they’ve got five kids together. It’s definitely a memorable Hollywood story.

McDermott gained public attention through reality shows featuring Tori Spelling, such as ‘True Tori.’ He ended his previous marriage with the intention of leveraging Spelling’s professional network. He still works as an actor and continues to enjoy cooking.

Casper Smart

Casper Smart began his career as a backup dancer, performing with artists like Beyoncé. He started dating Jennifer Lopez in 2011, shortly after her separation from Marc Anthony, and their relationship continued intermittently until 2016. There was an eighteen-year age difference between them.

While they were together, Smart was promoted to choreographer and received financial support. Since then, they’ve focused on acting in movies and television, while still staying involved in dance and maintaining a fit lifestyle.

Kimora Lee Simmons

Kimora Lee Simmons started her career as a model when she was just 13 years old. She married Russell Simmons, a prominent figure in the music industry, in 1998. Together, they had two daughters and later divorced in 2009.

With her ex-husband’s help, Simmons started her own clothing brand, Baby Phat. After receiving a financial settlement, she kept growing her business and later expanded into the beauty industry. She has since remarried several times.

Rachel Hunter

Rachel Hunter is a model known for appearing in Sports Illustrated. She began a relationship with musician Rod Stewart in 1990, when she was 21 and he was 45. The couple married the same year and had two children together, but they later divorced in 2006.

Hunter gained 66 million dollars in the divorce settlement. She then began an acting career in movies and television, while continuing to model and date athletes.

2025-09-23 10:47