American Billionaire Patricia Kluge
Patricia Kluge, the 62-year-old American billionaire and third wife of her late husband, was the social queen of America in the 1980s. She was a guest of Queen Elizabeth II of the UK and the third wife of American billionaire John Kluge. Her divorce settlement was as high as $1 billion. In January this year, several banks reclaimed the mortgage redemption rights to her winery and mansion, bringing an end to her decades-long extravagant lifestyle.
Became Famous as a Nude Model
Patricia was born in Iraq; her father was a British translator. She returned to the UK at the age of 16. While dancing in a nightclub, she met her first husband - Russel Guy, a publisher of adult magazines. As a result, she became famous as a model for adult publications. Soon after, Patricia left her husband and went to New York, where she met her second husband, a millionaire 35 years her senior, John Kluge.
John Kluge was the founder of "Media General," the largest private media group in the United States. He owned seven television stations, 14 radio stations, and multiple outdoor media outlets, with assets amounting to billions of dollars. Despite already being married, Kluge fell in love with the exotic Patricia and divorced his previous wife to marry her in 1981. In 1986, Kluge sold one of his top media companies to media mogul Rupert Murdoch for $4 billion, making him the second richest person on the Forbes list of American billionaires that year.
With her husband's wealth, Patricia began living extravagantly. Besides purchasing properties and private hunting grounds in places like New York, London, and Scotland, Patricia spent lavishly to enter the circles of the wealthy.
Nude Photos Led to the End of Her Marriage
Patricia was a natural socialite, attending parties day after day and spending large sums on luxury goods. Her interactions with the British royal family were something she took pride in. However, the ever-present British tabloids eventually exposed her scandalous past, including revealing photos and adult films. This not only ended her friendship with the royal family but also contributed to the breakdown of her marriage.
Despite both sides claiming their love was unshakable, Kluge was deeply affected by Patricia's nude photos from the past. In 1990, Patricia left the marriage with a reported $1 billion settlement and multiple properties, marking what The New York Times called the "divorce in paradise" and the most expensive nine-year itch. After the divorce, Patricia took over several of Kluge's properties and a 960-acre vineyard. In 1999, she built a luxurious villa in Virginia with 45 rooms.
Living Off Her Wealth and Forced to Sell Assets
After divorcing Kluge, the social queen continued to entertain guests at her home around the clock. Many politicians, celebrities, and even President Bill Clinton were frequent visitors. The helicopters of political figures and celebrities frequently shuttled between the Virginia state government and Patricia's lavish residence.
In 2000, Patricia married her third husband, former IBM executive William Mosely. After the marriage, they continued to live extravagantly, even selling or pawning some of their assets, jewelry, furniture, and old clothes. To increase their income, they once started a winery, aiming to promote high-quality Virginia wine across the United States, but unfortunately, it brought in very little revenue. In 2009, Patricia mortgaged her estate, originally valued at $100 million, but due to the financial crisis, its value dropped to $24 million. In June 2010, they auctioned off more than 900 items, earning $15.2 million. Among these items was an 8-carat ruby ring and a fine Qing dynasty clock, which was purchased by a Chinese buyer for $3.8 million.
After the auction, Patricia and her husband gradually became more low-key, moving to a more remote farm villa. However, their lifestyle remained luxurious, and it was rumored that Patricia had purchased mansions in places like Morocco. Nevertheless, the $15.2 million from the auction did not last long. Since December last year, Patricia has been pursued by multiple banks for loan repayments. In January this year, Bank of America delivered the final blow, suing her for $23 million in three loans and reclaiming her mansion and winery as compensation.
Reduced to Poverty and Laughed at by Neighbors
As multiple banks filed lawsuits, Patricia's luxurious mansion will be publicly auctioned on February 15th in Richmond, Virginia. This situation has left her humiliated and wanting to escape. The neighbors are shocked by the downfall of this billionaire. One neighbor said, "I don't know how they spent all their money. If they hadn't been so wasteful, they wouldn't have come to this."
Locals believe that Patricia's downfall can be attributed to a lack of foresight, excessive borrowing, and arrogance. It is reported that in pursuit of profit, Patricia priced each bottle of wine at $75, targeting the high-end market. High investment, overproduction, and financial strain ultimately led to her downfall. This report was compiled by Xu Juan.