News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch Files For Divorce From Third Wife

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And another one bites the dust. Ladies looking for a sugar daddy they don’t have to stick with “till death do us part,” might start taking a look at New Corp. billionaire Rupert Murdoch, 82. He and third wife Wendi Deng—38 years his junior—filed for divorce this morning after 14 years of marriage.

But Deng, 44, was no typical gold digger. Born in China, when Deng first moved to the United States she worked at a Chinese restaurant for just $20 a day. She took night classes at Cal State, though, and eventually attended Yale University, earning an MBA. She met Murdoch in 1997 while working at News Corp.’s Hong Kong division, Star TV. In 1999 the two wed, just one month after his divorce from second-wife Anna.

Still, a marriage to Murdoch would obviously promise a grand fortune. Anna reportedly walked away with a $1.7 billion settlement—including $110 million in cash. Although the two have a prenup, Deng will most definitely exit the marriage a very wealthy—albeit single—woman. The marriage also granted her career opportunities the former volleyball player could never have achieved on her own. Deng involved herself with News Corp.’s Chinese and Internet operations, as well as film ventures. In fact, she produced a 2011 Fox Searchlight picture, “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.” Having two children by the aged Murdock only sweetened the pie.

According to a News Corp. spokesman, the union has been “irretrievably broken” for more than six months. But according to a 2000 article in the Wall Street Journal, Deng had a marriage of convenience before meeting Murdoch. After meeting her first husband to Jake Cherry in 1988, the two engaged in an affair, breaking up Cherry’s marriage. Their 1990 union lasted less than three years—“seven months longer than what was required for Deng to obtain a green card.” According to Cherry, the two only lived together for “four to five months, as most.”

The divorce is not expected to affect the division of News Corp.’s media and entertaining holdings as Deng and her children do not have voting rights in the company, a heated bone of contention between Deng and Murdock for the last several years.