Eliot & Silda Spitzer: The Sheriff of Wall Street's Escort Scandal

What Happened

Eliot Spitzer built his career as New York's Attorney General by aggressively prosecuting Wall Street corruption and organized crime, earning the nickname 'The Sheriff of Wall Street.' He was elected governor of New York in 2006 in a landslide. In March 2008, The New York Times revealed that Spitzer had been a frequent client of an elite escort service called the Emperors Club VIP, spending an estimated $80,000 on prostitutes over several years.

The hypocrisy was staggering. Spitzer had personally prosecuted prostitution rings as AG. He resigned as governor on March 12, 2008, after serving just over one year. His wife Silda Wall Spitzer, a Harvard Law graduate and successful corporate attorney who had given up her career to support his political ambitions, stood beside him at the resignation press conference in an image that became iconic of political wives' impossible position.

The couple separated in 2013, and their divorce was filed in January 2014. The settlement was resolved according to a post-nuptial agreement that Silda had wisely insisted upon after the scandal broke. She received $7.5 million, the couple's Fifth Avenue apartment, $240,000 per year until death, a new car every five years, and undisclosed amounts for entertainment and charitable donations.

Spitzer attempted a political comeback in 2013, running for New York City Comptroller, but lost. Silda rebuilt her life, focusing on philanthropy and her three daughters. The case became a landmark example of how post-nuptial agreements can protect a betrayed spouse and provide leverage in divorce negotiations.

Legal Breakdown: Post-Nuptial Agreements

What This Means for Your Divorce