‘Catwoman’ Jocelyn Wildenstein, known for her bold looks, dies from pulmonary embolism

Jocelyn Wildenstein, the Swiss-born socialite known for her extensive plastic surgery which earned her the nicknames “Catwoman” and “Bride of Wildenstein,” has passed away at age 84.

Her partner, Lloyd Klein, confirmed to AFP that she died from a pulmonary embolism in Paris. Klein said she died peacefully in her sleep on 31 December 2024.

Wildenstein, who sometimes spelt her name “Jocelyne,” was a frequent figure in New York tabloids.

She often made headlines for her dramatic love life, changing looks, and the large divorce settlement she received from a prominent art dealer. She later claimed to have gone bankrupt.

Although Jocelyn downplayed the extent of her cosmetic surgeries, saying her “cat eyes” were a family trait or that different hairstyles made her look different, she occasionally gave a cheeky response when asked about it.

In 2006, she told photographer Zed Nelson, “If you feel good about your imperfections and ageing, you should do nothing. Otherwise, it’s all about choosing the right doctor,” CNN reported.

The wild transformation of Jocelyn Wildenstein

While on safari in Kenya, Jocelyn met her husband, Alec Wildenstein, the son of the French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein.

A year later, she married him in Las Vegas. Then, she embarked on a cosmetic adventure to look more like a big cat, apparently to please Alec.

Although she denied having work done, her husband told Vanity Fair: “She was crazy. I would always find out last. She thought she could fix her face like a piece of furniture. Skin does not work that way. But she wouldn’t listen.”

According to The Guardian, their messy divorce was overshadowed by rumors Alec spread, claiming she had worked as an escort with Madame Claude, a famous Parisian brothel owner.

From humble roots to billion-dollar divorce settlement

Jocelyn came from humble beginnings but ended up with a hefty divorce settlement. She received what should have been a windfall – a reported $2.5 billion.

On top of that, she was to be paid $100 million per year for 13 years by her ex-husband, and later his estate, following his death in 2008 at 67, Mail Online reported.

After her ex-husband’s family stopped her payments in 2015, she blew all her money on excessive spending despite having more than most could ever imagine.

She splurged on things like plastic surgery, clothes, jewellery, and art. Jocelyn also racked up huge phone bills totalling tens of thousands of dollars annually.

By 2018, she filed for bankruptcy.

At the time, The Sunday Times reported Jocelyn’s checking account had a $0 balance. Nevertheless, she still owned millions of dollars in assets, mostly in property. Her three luxury apartments at Trump Tower were also repossessed.

In June 2023, Jocelyn claimed she was flat broke after not having any income for eight years after her ex-husband’s family cut her off from her $100 million annual divorce settlement. 

She claimed she had no money and added: “Zero – nothing in eight years.’

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