SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA— In a discreet culmination, co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, has officially concluded his divorce from Nicole Shanahan, marking a year of conjecture regarding her alleged association with tech magnate Elon Musk. Court records, exclusively obtained by Insider, disclose that a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge ratified the divorce decree on May 26. The divorce was instigated by Brin, 50, in January 2022, approximately a month following the eruption of rumors linking Shanahan to Musk. The stated cause for the divorce was “irreconcilable differences.”
Brin, presently ranked as the ninth wealthiest individual globally with a staggering net worth estimated at $118 billion, according to the esteemed Bloomberg Billionaires Index, had tied the knot with Shanahan in 2018. Their initial encounter, as meticulously documented in court records, transpired three years prior during a serendipitous rendezvous at a yoga retreat. The couple, now separated, shares the custody of their 4-year-old daughter.
Before exchanging vows, the couple meticulously executed a prenuptial agreement, stipulating that, in the eventuality of a divorce, matters pertaining to spousal support and related financial concerns would be settled through the veil of confidential arbitration, as per revelations made by Insider.
In regard to child custody, Brin and Shanahan have reached an accord for “non-guideline” child support, although precise monetary details remain shrouded in the confines of sealed court documents. It is worth noting that in California and several other states, “guideline” child support calculations hinge upon the income disparity between the parents and the allocation of time each parent dedicates to the child.
Shanahan, a legal practitioner employed at the Bay Area nonprofit Bia-Echo Foundation, opted not to contest the divorce but did, however, petition for spousal support from the court, a request disclosed exclusively by Insider.
The intricate facets of the divorce proceedings, spanning critical aspects including spousal support, legal fees, and the division of substantial assets, were meticulously addressed and resolved through the discreet avenue of arbitration, as unveiled by court records.
In a compelling twist, The Wall Street Journal reported in July 2022 that Brin’s cherished friendship with Elon Musk had endured a profound rupture following Brin’s purported discovery of Musk’s alleged involvement with his spouse in December 2021. Both Musk and Shanahan vehemently denied these allegations. According to the Journal’s exposé, Musk extended an olive branch in search of amicability with Brin.
Notably, Brin’s reaction to the situation was purportedly of such intensity that he undertook the sale of his Tesla shares, valued at a staggering $100 million at the time.
Musk, on his part, had ardently endeavored to quash any lingering speculations of discord with Brin. In a public declaration via Twitter, Musk vehemently asserted, “This is total nonsense. Sergey and I are friends, and we were at a party together just last night! I’ve only crossed paths with Nicole twice in three years, and both encounters were in the company of numerous other individuals. Nothing of a romantic nature occurred.”
