Eddie Murphy’s ex wife blew through $15 million settlement in 4 years

MIRAMAR, CA - DECEMBER 03: Former NFL player Michael Strahan and Nicole Murphy pose in the press room during VH1 Divas Salute the Troops presented by the USO at the MCAS Miramar on December 3, 2010 in Miramar, California. VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert event will be televised on Sunday, December 5 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on VH1. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for VH1)
This week’s National Enquirer has a story about the pitfalls of living large. Eddie Murphy’s ex wife Nicole is deep in debt after blowing the $15 million settlement she received from Eddie when they divorced in 2006. This sounds like those lottery winners that waste all their money and end up destitute. Here’s the Enquirer’s story, which includes details about Nicole’s bad investments and tax debts.

Eddie Murphy’s ex wife Nicole has blown her massive $15 million divorce settlement in just four years – and now she’s millions of dollars in debt.

What’s more, the IRS has slapped her with five tax liens totally $846,630, and she has put her opulent mansion up for sale.

When Nicole divorced Eddie in 2006 after 13 years of marriage, she chose to take a one-time payout from the comedian of $15 million, instead of monthly alimony. But in a shockingly short span of time, she’s managed to lose all of it.

“Nicole made some bad investments with the fortune she got from Eddie, and now she is in serious financial straits,” said a friend of the 42-year-old stunner.

Court records show that the IRS slapped Nicole with two liens for back taxes in November totaling $214,688.

That huge bill was on top of outstanding judgments against her for nearly $600,000 by a legal firm and another $60,000 demand for payment by a landscaping company. She also owes $5 million on her Los Angeles-area home.

“Nicole is overwhelmed by the mountain of debt she has piled up,” added the source. Nicole, who has five children with Eddie, invested in an Internet jewelry business, but the venture quickly failed and Nicole lost most of her money.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, January 3, 2011]

It seems like Eddie Murphy is the Enquirer’s gleeful source, as the article goes on about what a generous person he is and how he “lavishes the kids with gifts and gives them anything they want or need.” Nicole also gets child support payments which are surely enough for most of us to live very comfortably on. (Eddie pays $51,000 a month for just one child with Melanie B., Angel Iris, 3.) It’s not surprising to hear that a woman naive enough to marry Eddie Murphy would end up wasting her money and making bad investments. From the looks of her, Nicole’s plastic surgeon is getting
a good chunk of that money. This story reminds me of Heather Mills and how she frittered away her $50 million divorce settlement in less than two years.

In related debt news, Pamela Anderson owed an additional $180,000 to the state of California on top of the nearly $500,000 tax lien they filed against her last year. Her people told TMZ that it was a misunderstanding and that the taxes have been paid. Entitled rich people and their ridiculous problems.

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Nicole Murphy attends the Odd Molly Spring 2011 fashion show during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion week at The Studio at Lincoln Center on September 15, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IMG)

Jun 07, 2010 - Westwood, California, U.S. - Former model NICOLE MURPHY at 'The Karate Kid' Premiere held at Mann Village theatre Westwood California. © Red Carpet Pictures

BEL AIR, CA - JULY 12: Former football player Michael Strahan and Nicole Murphy attend professional tennis player Serena Williams' Pre-ESPYs House Party held at a private residence on July 12, 2010 in Bel Air, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for SW)

Sept. 14, 2010 - New York, New York, U.S. - NICOLE MURPHY.Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Spring 2011 Badgley Mischka Fashion Presentation - celebrities.The Tents at Lincoln Center, NYC 09-14-2010.Photos by - Photos Inc 2010.K65898SMO. © Red Carpet Pictures

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47 Responses to “Eddie Murphy’s ex wife blew through $15 million settlement in 4 years”

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  1. Rita says:

    “It’s not surprising to hear that a woman naive enough to marry Eddie Murphy would end up wasting her money”

    Naive? Look at her. She hit the $14mil jackpot in Eddie but has since put it all back in a one-arm-bandit.

  2. Kaboom says:

    You frequently can only quote Forrest Gump: Stupid is as stupid does.

  3. Shay says:

    What did she blow it all on? Plastic surgery? She looks like Jocelyn Wildenstein’s younger sister.

  4. rentho says:

    ok maybe its b/c she used to a certain lifestyle but b/c i’m currently living paycheck to paycheck i’m just wondering how the fluck(spelled it like this on purpose b/c i’m trying to stop cussing 🙂 do u go thru $14 MILLION in 4 years…. i WISH someone would give me $14 million.

  5. Kasey says:

    @Shay
    If it was plastic surgery she must have been fixing up the parts we can’t see or having regular maintenance work done. She looks the same as she did before they divorced. I recognized her before I even read the headlines and I can’t point out Heidi Montag to save my life (in my defense she DOES look kind of common). I WOULD believe, however that after FIVE kids she’s been shelling out big bucks on fitness/training, makeup and getting her hair done. Girlfriend is keeping it tight and together!

  6. WTF? says:

    I don’t think that she’s had plastic surgery. She has always looked chiseled like that.
    I’ve kind of always thought that she was a man though. I think she’s really pretty, but there is something masculine about her, and i don’t ever remember seeing her pregnant with any kids…i’m just saying

  7. mel says:

    How dumb can you be when you have 5 children and blow thru $15 mil. I know it’s her money but pleeze.

  8. Schnauzers!!! says:

    SERIOUSLY???? With 15 Mil just HANDED to me, my house would be paid for, I would have my kids college paid for and a stipend set up for their adulthood and future children. Of course my husband would have the car of his dreams.

    I’m happy with what we have. It may not be a lot by Eddie Murphey standards…but to blow through 15 million is ridiculous and wasteful. Wish the military would be paid as well as the “stars” people look up to….
    I just don’t understand people like this.

  9. Jacq says:

    Woof. Now she can go live at the pound. Frightening – like a more freaky looking Annie Lennox, if that’s even possible.

  10. mslewis says:

    I really don’t think she’s had a ton of plastic surgery. She used to be a model and her face has always been sort of “manly” with the high cheekbones. She might have done a little botox like Halle Berry and Vanessa Williams but I don’t think she’s been cut on yet.

    As for the $14M . . . Poor girl was probably still trying to lead the Eddie Murphy lifestyle she had gotten use to and the money just disappeared. She’s obviously not smart if she allows that much loot to just slip through her fingers but, it happens. Right now she’s still getting child support but that’s not going to last too much longer and girlfriend will be out in the cold, unless she marries another rich man.

    Michael Strahan had better look out because this woman sounds expensive and he’s already had to give his ex a lot of money!!

  11. Crash2GO2 says:

    Wow, I don’t understand the comments about her being ugly. That woman is gorgeous.

    Serious spending problem though, no doubt.

  12. mia says:

    She is East Coast isn’t she? Cause West Coast knows that to keep the money flowing you need to pull a Mel B. and have a baby but not the one time settlement. This may be a problem for Camille Grammer because she bought her babies via surrogate instead of birthing them herself. Judges seem to prefer you actually birth them personally.

  13. YvetteW says:

    I was just wondering out loud with someone about why she and Strahan hadn’t set a date. Now I see…not of fan of Mike’s,but his best earning days are behind him. Can he still afford her?

  14. anoneemouse says:

    I agree Crash – she’s gorgeous!

  15. mslewis says:

    She is East Coast isn’t she? Cause West Coast knows that to keep the money flowing you need to pull a Mel B. and have a baby but not the one time settlement. This may be a problem for Camille Grammer because she bought her babies via surrogate instead of birthing them herself. Judges seem to prefer you actually birth them personally.
    —————————————————
    HUH?? I’m not following your logic here. Nicole has FIVE babies with Eddie. She will get child support until they are 18, the same as Mel B will get for her baby with Murphy. The $14M was the one-time settlement Nicole chose to take when she and Eddie divorced. It has zero to do with the child support she gets from him.

    And a surrogate child is a biological child so Camille’s two children are Kelsey’s two children and he will pay child support for them until they are 18. None of this has anything to do with alimony (or “east coast/west coast).

  16. Marjalane says:

    So basically, California is going to be filled with hungry, used to be rich, plastic looking people, wandering around in their forclosed dirty mansions, when Ashton Kutcher’s Armageddon hits? This is so, so, sad.

  17. Leila says:

    Just read the Heather Mills piece too. Unbelievable, they probably thought they were SO smart to get such a huge amount out of their divorce, but then their lack of knowledge on how money works and how soon it can run out, caught up with them rapidly.
    These are some hard lessons for these women and I’m glad I’m not in their shoes.

  18. lucy2 says:

    Not the most flattering photos, I’ve seen others of her over the years and she is gorgeous.
    I can’t feel sorry for someone who blew $14 million on…what? Child support for those 5 kids is probably gigantic and should cover any expenses she could possibly have.

  19. guesty says:

    she definitely belongs on real housewives…

  20. TeeTee says:

    Heather Mills blew through 50 mil???

    she’s broke???

    If you look at all of Nicole’s pics, she’s always looked “handsome” she hasn’t had any plastic surgery..

    bad spending habits, wow..she got stuck w/that HUGE home, sh should have stayed in it-but she wanted to move and couldn’t unload it..no one wanted to buy that huge home and she didn’t want it. smdh

  21. Chrissy says:

    $15 million in a divorce with Eddie Murphy?? That doesn’t seem like much to me. That guy has to have huge money … he’s in so many movies. However, I can’t fathom blowing through that much money.

  22. mslewis says:

    So basically, California is going to be filled with hungry, used to be rich, plastic looking people, wandering around in their forclosed dirty mansions, when Ashton Kutcher’s Armageddon hits? This is so, so, sad.
    ————————————————————
    Several years ago, 60 Minutes did a story on homeless women who were once married to rich Hollywood men (studio types, not stars). I remember Lesley Stahl did the interviews and two of these women were living in their cars and one was living in a small apartment and her new job was cleaning the houses of the women she used to hang out with!! It was one of the better segments that they have done. I remember at least one woman saying she had gotten $3M in the settlement but she had no idea how to handle money and it disappeared quickly. Usually I feel sorry for homeless people but I just could not muster the tears for these stupid bitches. I’m just imagining Nicole The Former Mrs. Eddie Murphy sleeping in her car while the IRS tracks her down. Not a pretty picture!!

    Oh, and one of these women explained how she found food to eat: She would hang around mall food courts and if someone got up and left without taking their tray, she would sit down and eat what they had left behind!!!! Pretty disgusting but if you’re hungry . . .

  23. Green Is Good says:

    *eye roll* I’d say “Get a JOB, Nicole”, but it appears her only skills are birfin’ chirruns, and spending $$$.

  24. jc126 says:

    Yes, she does kind of look like Annie Lennox!
    $15M seems low for a star of Eddie Murphy’s caliber – he’s not so huge right now, but has made some big movies over the years.
    I assume Strahan is her boyfriend – he had to pay out a LOT to his ex-wife. I’m not even certain they had kids, maybe a couple.

  25. nok says:

    stunner? OMG ..

    this is the exactly reason why the gold-diggers nowadays won’t take as low as 15 mil to walk away, 100 mil more appropriate / livable

  26. alexandra says:

    Ugly people always think that beautiful people have plastic surgery.

  27. Moreaces says:

    There is something beautiful about her, at the same time she looks like a drag queen, I am not trying to be mean, She seems like a nice enough person, just very hard looking. I hope this is not true as her and Eddie have like 2 million kids to send to college.

  28. Gigohead says:

    Yikes! Not a flattering close up of her. She is a soft focus woman if you ask me.

  29. Moreaces says:

    @Jacq
    Woof. Now she can go live at the pound. Frightening – like a more freaky looking Annie Lennox, if that’s even possible.
    =====
    That was my very first thought, when I saw her picture, Looks like a freaky version, of Anne Lenox.

  30. Steveo says:

    ice cream now!

  31. Amy says:

    Wow, some of you really think she’s ugly? I think she’s beautiful! But yeah, it’s ridiculous she blew through the money. She has working arms and legs — get a real job, girl!

  32. henriette says:

    Clearly, Nicole won the figurative lottery with Eddie and then – just like actual lottery winners – hadn’t a clue how to manage her cash. Sad. The things I could do with that much money…

    Oh, if you wanna see her house, that’s now on the market: http://www.luxist.com/2009/04/25/nicole-murphy-in-calabasas-estate-of-the-day/

  33. Louise says:

    She has to be getting at least $1 million+ a year in child support. So it’s even more baffling how she spent all of her money.

  34. Lila says:

    Internet jewelry? Now how could that fail?
    LOL.

  35. Lila says:

    This is far less interesting than the story about her fiancée, Michael Strayhan, placing a tracking device underneath her car to keep tabs on her. And she still got engaged to him. But this woman tolerated a controlling, narcissistic husband for 13 years who insisted she wear full face makeup at all times (even to bed). Clearly she has no mind of her own.

  36. I Choose Me says:

    FIVE kids? damn! I’ve got 0 kids and I don’t look nearly as good body wise as she does. I don’t get the Joycelyn Wildstein comment at all. She looks great and judging by the fine lines by her eyes and the forehead crease, she’s not overly botoxed or jacked to shit with plastic surgery. As to her blowing 15 million, didn’t the article say she lost most of it in a bad investment? Bad investments can sink you faster in debt than anything, and it’s a sad fact that businesses fail all the time so I won’t call her stupid for that. Not paying your taxes though is always a bad move that never has a good outcome. Just ask Wesly Snipes.

  37. Kiska says:

    The Real Housewives with the exception of Adrienne and Lisa better take note…This could be your future.

  38. OfficialBitch says:

    Put her on RealHousewives Beverly Hills. PLEASE!

  39. crtb says:

    Don’t you remember that Eddie likes trannies and his wife looks like a tranny.

    Nicole’s problem is that she couldn’t down scale her life. She continued to take private jets, limos, yahts, etc…
    She was rich but not Eddie Murphy rich and that is why she is broke now.

  40. blasted1 says:

    I’m telling ‘ya…brains had nothing to do with her marrying Eddie Murphy in the first place…I would think that would be obvious. She’s no more than a lottery winner…and loser. Tough luck, bitch. You had your shot and you blew it all. Most of us don’t even get a shot AT a shot….no sympathy.

  41. Sam says:

    @40- she really does have that tranny vibe going on – doesn’t she? She is striking but it is very much in a “manly way”. What really bothers me is that these women who get the big money payoff from these wealthy men – whether husband or boyfriend never invests or go to finance firms for advice – it really is hard to sympathise when they have access to good financial help and they don’t ake it. Maybe it would do her good to be “broke” for a while just to put the wind in her sail to make her realise that she needs to buck up and learn the hard way how the other ahlf lives.

  42. chuck says:

    Damn that’s some real MC Hammer shit right there between her and heather Mills thats 75milli in less than a decade , these greedy bitches need to just take monthly payments if they were not instrumental in earning the money they are being paid out, why the fuck do they deserve that much anyway if you quit or get fired from your job severance and unemployment is about all you can look forward to they should change the laws fro divorce settlements this sh*t makes me sick….

  43. chuck says:

    @ Sam since when dos Nichole Murphy look like a tranny look just becuse youre gay it does not mean everybody is gay Nichole Murphy is definitley a banger getdafuckouttaherewitdabullshit…

  44. Cleo says:

    15 million is not a lot of money – it’s enough to fund two educations and city condos and not even in the better buildings.

  45. Hakura says:

    @Sam (#42)- ITA. It’s amazing to me that she managed to go through so much money in so little time… without seeking advice on investments.

    @Chuck (#43)- What the others are saying is that she has some features that look like the ‘exaggerated’ way transvestites try to mask masculinity.

    I understand that you feel differently, but no one was calling anyone ‘gay’. (Nor does their statement imply that they are gay.)

    And you can express your disagreement without being an asshole. You should try it next time.

  46. stape says:

    The problem is that, dumbass people never seem to know how dumb they really are, so no one can tell them anything. I’m sure someone tried to – a few million bucks ago.

  47. Jim says:

    No doubt half of that went to the Obama Political movement.

    Hope those kids can survive on that 51K per month…Eddie, would you consider adopting a 42 year old married white guy who has 2 kids. I think I can survive on a fraction of that…and probably work harder to become your favorite adopted son 🙂