Kobe Bryant's Wife Stands To Receive A Fortune In Divorce Settlement

by UInterviewDecember 20, 2011, 12:00 amNews >

Vanessa Bryant, wife of Lakers' star Kobe Bryant, may finally be walking away from her 10-year marriage with the basketball giant, but she won't leave empty-handed.

Vanessa filed for divorce from Kobe on Friday, citing irreconcilable differences, the Los Angeles Times reported. After a decade of standing by her man amid endless accusations of his infidelity, including the 2003 scandal that saw him accused of sexual assault, she's finally throwing in the towel.

When the couple tied the knot in 2001, it was without a prenuptial agreement. Now that they have passed the 10-year milestone, their marriage is defined as a lengthy one, according to the divorce laws of California, where they reside, attorney Dmitry Gorin told The Sacramento Bee. That means that Vanessa could be entitled to half of Kobe's $150 million fortune, plus spousal and child support for their two daughters, Natalia, 8, and Giana, 5. Gorin estimates that Vanessa will probably receive "more than enough for many lifetimes" from the settlement, which should be finalized sometime next year.

Vanessa is filing for custody of the kids, but wants her ex-hubby to keep visitation rights. The couple released a joint statement revealing that they had "resolved all the issues" having to do with their impending divorce. "We ask that in the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season the public respect our privacy during this most difficult time."