Kobe Bryant Could Be Out $200 Million After His Wife, Vanessa, Files for Divorce
Basketball star Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, steadfastly stood by his side during the 2003 scandal in which he was accused of raping a 19-year-old Colorado resort employee.
But now, after what inside sources say is a long history of infidelity during their 10-year marriage, Vanessa has had enough, and on Friday she filed for divorce.
She cited the standard “irreconcilable differences” and is seeking spousal support and shared custody of the pair’s two young daughters.
While the papers were only recently filed, Kobe, 33, and his soon-to-be ex-wife, 29, have apparently been hammering out the details for some time. In a joint statement released late Friday, they said they’d already “resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately,” adding, “We ask that in the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season, the public respect our privacy during this most difficult time.”
But of course we all know “privacy” is not something afforded to celebrities who divorce, let alone when salacious details are involved.
The news for Kobe only gets worse: not only is he losing his wife, the lack of a prenup between them means he could also lose a good chunk of his net worth, estimated by some to be upwards of $200 million.
And that $4 million, eight-carat purple diamond “apology ring” Vanessa was seen sporting in the days after those rape allegations broke? Legal experts say it will likely be deemed a “gift” by the courts and therefore the beleaguered wife’s personal property.