Michael Strahan's Prenup With His Ex-Wife Jean Muggli Cost Him Big Time
Michael Strahan's impressive resume came with a downside during his second divorce. Strahan is perhaps best known for his stellar career in the NFL, followed by his second act as a popular television personality. From the outside looking in, it would appear that the world is his oyster. Alas, back in the 2000s, his life wasn't quite as charmed as he was going through a contentious and messy split from his second wife, Jean Muggli. The story goes that the couple first met at an NYC hair salon. By 1999, the couple was married, and in 2004 they welcomed twin girls. Sadly, in 2005, Strahan filed for divorce. During an episode of HBO's "Real Sports," Strahan told host Bryant Gumbel that the worst part was reading things about himself that weren't true. "I'm not an adulterer. I'm not gay. I mean, I didn't beat anybody," he declared emphatically (via the New York Post).
It's possible, however, that the prenuptial agreement was also a sore spot for Strahan. Here's everything we know about his prenuptial agreement with Muggli and how it cost him big time.
Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli's prenuptial agreement entitled her to half and then some
On July 20, 2006, Judge James Convery ruled that Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli's marriage was officially over. But that was only the beginning. After, a long, arduous high-profile court battle surrounding the former couple's prenuptial agreement ensued. ESPN reported that the couple's original agreement entitled Muggli to half of the couple's marital assets and an additional 20% of Strahan's annual income from each year of their union. Cha-ching!
However, Strahan and his attorneys argued that he never proactively tucked that money away because Muggli never requested it. Furthermore, Strahan claimed that he and Muggli verbally agreed that she would not receive the 20% listed in the agreement and that he would contribute money into joint investment accounts instead. However, It should be noted that Muggli adamantly denied any such agreement ever taking place. Strahan also alleged that Muggli helped herself to $3.3 million from their joint banking account just prior to him filing for divorce (via the New York Post).
Jean Muggli walked away with $15.3 million and more
Finally, in January 2007, the judge made his final ruling and ordered that the Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli's prenuptial agreement be upheld. In the end, Muggli walked away with a hefty $15.3 million, $18,000 each month in child support, and $311,150 in back pay. "It pays to tell the truth, and I told the truth," Muggli later told the New York Post. "I never asked for a penny more than the prenup that Michael and his lawyers wrote and made me sign. And all I ever asked for was that to be upheld." Following his retirement from the NFL, TMZ reported that Strahan's monthly child support payment was decreased to $13,000.
Fortunately, it appears that by 2016, the exes has learned how to co-parent and exist peacefully. During an interview with People, he went as far as to refer to Muggli as one of his "best friends." He also made it clear under no uncertain terms that his role as a father didn't stop at providing financial support. "It wasn't like, 'Okay, we split, now I'm gonna write a check and send it to your mom every month, and Daddy will see you down the road,'" he explained. "I'm not operating like that."