Jocelyn Wildenstein, the New York socialite nicknamed “The Catwoman,” has died. She was 84.
Her partner, Lloyd Klein, reportedly told AFP that Wildenstein died of a pulmonary embolism in a Parisian palace on Tuesday, per Daily Mail.
A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks and stops blood flow to an artery in a lung, according to The Mayo Clinic.
The blood clot typically forms in a deep vein in a person’s leg and then travels to the lung. In rare cases, the clot can form in a vein in another part of the body.
Known for her cat-like features and addiction to plastic surgery, Wildenstein first made headlines in the late ’90s when she divorced her husband Alec Wildenstein, a wealthy art collector.
Born Jocelyne Périsset, the Swiss native married Alec in 1978.
Her divorce left her as one of the wealthiest people in the world after receiving a $2.5 billion settlement. She also was awarded millions more in annual payments from Alec.
But by 2018, the vast fortune was gone. Wildenstein filed for bankruptcy in New York, writing in an affidavit, “I am not employed and my only income is Social Security.”
“I often turn to friends and family in order to pay my ongoing expenses,” she added.
In February, Wildenstein claimed she never had plastic surgery.
“I haven’t had plastic surgery,” the one-time society fixture told The Sun. “I am scared of what can happen, and I don’t like to have something heavy. Sometimes it is a bit heavy and terrible.”
This is a developing story.
