Jocelyn Wildenstein, the New York socialite famous for her extreme cosmetic surgery and her “Catwoman” nickname, has passed away at the age of 84.
According to her partner, Lloyd Klein, Wildenstein died of a pulmonary embolism on Tuesday, December 31, in Paris.
Wildenstein rose to fame in the late 1990s after divorcing her wealthy art dealer husband, Alec Wildenstein.
The divorce was sparked by Alec’s affair with a 19-year-old Russian model, and it resulted in a massive settlement for Jocelyn—$2.5 billion, along with annual payments of $100 million for the next 13 years.
This settlement made her one of the wealthiest women in the world at the time.
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However, by 2018, Wildenstein’s fortune had vanished, leading her to file for bankruptcy in New York. In her affidavit, she explained that her sole source of income was Social Security, and she often had to rely on friends and family for financial support.
Despite her wealth and fame, Jocelyn Wildenstein was perhaps most well-known for her obsession with plastic surgery.
She underwent numerous procedures, often aiming for a feline-like appearance, which she attributed to her ex-husband’s love of cats.
Wildenstein herself denied having had surgeries in a 2024 interview, claiming, “I haven’t had plastic surgery,” though her distinctive look was the result of many years of cosmetic enhancements.
She first began her surgeries during her marriage to Alec, who once claimed that she was determined to change her appearance to resemble a lynx, which she adored.
Wildenstein, however, denied any pressure from her husband, saying he always told her she looked young—until she didn’t anymore.