Pop Culture

David Geffen and David Armstrong Settle Divorce After Months of Legal Drama

From claims made in court filings to a dropped lawsuit, here’s how David Geffen and David Armstrong’s divorce played out.

David Geffen Settles Divorce From Donovan Armstrong
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Vogue

David Geffen has reached a settlement in his divorce from estranged husband David Armstrong, bringing an end to a months-long legal fight that spilled far beyond a typical celebrity split.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the mogul informed the court that he and Armstrong — who is also known by several other names, including Donovan Michaels — have finalized a settlement agreement. The filing does not include financial terms, but it marks a major shift after nearly a year of public accusations over Geffen’s fortune, Armstrong’s lifestyle, and whether the billionaire ever promised to support him for life.

Geffen and Armstrong married in March 2023 without signing a prenup. Geffen filed for divorce in May 2025, shortly before the couple’s second anniversary. From there, the case quickly evolved from a divorce filing into a separate civil lawsuit and a very public argument over money.

Armstrong previously claimed Geffen promised that they would “share all earnings and accumulated property equally” and that he would be financially supported for the rest of his life.

In a July 2025 lawsuit, Armstrong said he gave up his modeling career to become Geffen’s “full-time travel companion, homemaker, health adviser, caretaker, and life partner.”

He also alleged that Geffen controlled nearly every aspect of his life, from what he wore and read to where he went and who he spent time with.

Armstrong further claimed that while Geffen attended the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in Venice last June, an assistant told him to leave the couple’s Manhattan home and cut off his access to shared funds. He accused Geffen of treating him as “a living social experiment” and “a trophy to show off to his wealthy friends, under the guise of benevolence.”

Geffen answered those claims aggressively. In his own court filing, he denied ever promising Armstrong lifelong financial support or an ownership stake in his assets. He called Armstrong’s allegations a “contrived attempt” to publicly embarrass him and force a payout.

Geffen said he had already provided Armstrong with “nearly unlimited spending money,” a luxury apartment in New York, expensive travel, cosmetic procedures, designer clothing, and continued monthly payments after the separation.

He also argued that most of his estimated $8.8 billion fortune came from investments and assets acquired long before the relationship began in 2016.

Armstrong eventually dropped the civil lawsuit.

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