Jocelyn Wildenstein Net Worth: How Rich was the Socialite?

Jocelyn Wildenstein, often nicknamed Catwoman was a Swiss socialite widely recognized for her extensive cosmetic surgeries. She came into the limelight following her high-profile divorce from billionaire art dealer, Alec Wildenstein in 1999. The divorce settlement was around $2.5 billion which is one of the largest divorce settlements in history. Jocelyn Wildenstein net worth at the time of her death was around $100,000.

Early Life

Jocelyn Wildenstein was born Jocelyn Christine Perisset in August 1940 in Switzerland. Her dad, Armand Perisset used to work in a sporting goods store while her mom, Liliane Perisset was a housewife. She grew up in a well-off household which provided her with open access to cultural experiences.

Wildenstein’s education details are less clear. In her late teens, she shifted her place to Paris where she started dating Swiss movie director, Cyril Piguet. Jocelyn was exposed to a glamorous lifestyle while staying in Paris. During this time, she developed skills as a pilot and hunter.

While transitioning into adulthood, she faced various challenges. Before meeting Alec Wildenstein, she was living with Italian filmmaker, Sergio Gobbi. While staying in Paris, she transitioned her life from a relatively comfortable life to the competitive social life of Paris. Jocelyn moved to Las Vegas after she began a whirlwind romance with Alec Wildenstein.

Career

Jocelyn Wildenstein started her career in the art world. In her early twenties, she moved to Paris and became involved in the social scene mingling with affluent individuals and artists. During her time in Paris, she was involved in various artistic endeavors. Her life took a dramatic turn after meeting a billionaire art dealer, Alec Wildenstein.

Joyce met Alec while she was enjoying a hunting trip in Kenya in 1977. They got into a whirlwind romantic relationship and ended up getting married on April 30, 1978, in Las Vegas. After their marriage, Jocelyn became a renowned figure in New York’s elite society. As a socialite, she attended high-profile events and enjoyed her extravagant lifestyle. Jocelyn’s marriage to Alec allowed her to indulge in luxury properties including a sprawling Manhattan townhouse and a chateau in France.

Jocelyn’s public persona was likewise defined by her continuous pursuit of cosmetic surgery, which started shortly after their marriage. Her transformation into the Catwoman persona was fueled by her wish to enhance her public appearance through plastic surgery. Jocelyn went through numerous surgeries over the years that dramatically changed her facial features. Following the surgery, she garnered major media attention.

The media outlets also gave her other nicknames as The Lion Queen and The Bride of Wildenstein. Even though she underwent numerous procedures, she didn’t accept it and denied having excessive plastic surgery. However, she did accept having a multimillion-dollar surgery to get eyes like a cat. Jocelyn’s former husband, Alce revealed that she was planning to fix her face like a furniture piece. He tried to convince her that skin doesn’t work that way but she didn’t listen to him.

Personal Life

Jocelyn Wildenstein was introduced to billionaire art dealer, Alec Wildenstein by Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. She was enjoying a hunting trip in Kenya when she met Alec first time. Quickly their romance blossomed and eventually, they eloped on April 30, 1978, in Las Vegas. Together, the pair shared two kids, Alec Jr. and Diane.

Embracing her role as a billionaire wife, she successfully managed their multiple residences and luxurious lifestyle. The pair had lavish properties in Paris, the Caribbean, and a lavish townhouse in New York City. Despite their affluent lifestyle, her marriage went through several challenges. In 1998, she discovered Alec in a bed with a young Russian model. Their confrontation led to a dramatic turn as Alec allegedly threatened her with a gun.

After the incident, they started making initial footsteps toward their separation. Jocelyn eventually filed for divorce in April 1997 citing infidelity as the main reason. Their divorce proceedings were contentious and highly publicized by the media. In the end, it turned out to the one of the largest divorce settlements in history.

Following the divorce, she continued to live a lavish life due to which she faced major financial challenges. As per reports, by 2023, she lost much of her fortune due to mismanagement. By that time, she had started living without substantial funds. In 2018, Jocelyn filed for bankruptcy protection claiming her divorce settlement was cut off for several years.

In 2003, she began dating fashion designer, Lloyd Klein, and they remained together until she died. Jocelyn passed away at the age of 84 on December 31, 2024, due to a pulmonary embolism. Her personal life was characterized by dramatic ups and downs from living a lavish extravagant lifestyle to personal struggles.

Jocelyn Wildenstein Net Worth

Jocelyn Wildenstein net worth at the time of her death was nearly $100,000. She experienced dramatic ups and downs in her financial status. Jocelyn transitioned from a billionaire socialite to compromising her life on social security. At the peak of her financial standings, she received one of the huge divorce settlements in history, reportedly receiving $2.5 billion from Alec Wildenstein with an additional $100 million annually for the next thirteen years.

However, over time, her financial situation and staggering figures deteriorated. Her net worth at the end of 2024 was estimated at around $1 million. Jocelyn made a shocking revelation that she lived on a paycheck receiving just $900 per month from Social Security after she stopped receiving payments from Alec in 2015.

Jocelyn claimed she had a $0 balance in her account in 2018 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Her bankruptcy filing revealed that her assets were around $16.39 million against the total liabilities of nearly $6.38 million. The liabilities included her debt of more than $300,000 which she owed to numerous law firms.

In addition to that, she also had a debt of $4.6 million on her stunning apartment which was in foreclosure. By 2023, she reportedly lost her three apartments situated in Trump Tower due to repossession. The apartments were valued at around $11.75 million. At the time of her demise, she owned a 2006 Bentley worth $35,000. Jocelyn once claimed that she used to spend $547,000 annually on food and wine alone.