David Geffen ready to be ‘unmarried again’ – as billionaire offers eye-watering sum for estranged husband
Geffen claims he has already given Armstrong $200,000 in cash since they separated, as well as covering close to $200,000 for a rehab stay
By Callum Wells
David Geffen – the billionaire music and film mogul behind Geffen Records and DreamWorks SKG – says he is ready to be “an unmarried man again”.
The 82-year-old has put forward a financial package for his estranged husband, David Andrew Armstrong, 32, also known as Donovan Michaels. In new court filings obtained by TMZ, Geffen says he will pay up to $50,000 a month in spousal support. But only for 12 months. He also wants the payments backdated and credited against what he has already paid.
Geffen claims he has already given Armstrong $200,000 in cash since they separated in February, as well as covering close to $200,000 for a rehab stay. He also says Armstrong has been living rent-free in a Manhattan apartment he owns, which Geffen values at $15,000 a month, and is in possession of around $5 million worth of art, jewellery and watches purchased for him.
David Andrew Armstrong claims David Geffen had promised lifelong financial support
The divorce was filed in May, with no prenuptial agreement in place. Documents submitted by high-profile divorce lawyer Laura Wasser state that Geffen attempted to resolve the dispute through mediation, but that it “didn’t work out”. Geffen further alleges Armstrong tried to “extort him with a smear campaign in the media”.
The couple married in March 2023 after meeting several years earlier, when Armstrong was working as Geffen’s personal trainer.
The marriage lasted just under two years, officially ending in February this year. Geffen, who is now retired, argues that no community property was acquired during the 23-month marriage and insists that while Armstrong, may be entitled to some temporary support, he has no claim to Geffen’s reported $8.7 billion fortune.
Alongside the divorce proceedings, Armstrong has launched a civil lawsuit alleging breach of contract. He claims Geffen had promised lifelong financial support, the sharing of assets, and housing security regardless of the state of their relationship.
Geffen describes the marriage as “undoubtedly irremediably broken down”
The suit accuses Geffen of manipulative and controlling behaviour, including pressuring Armstrong into cosmetic treatments. Geffen has rejected those claims outright, describing the case as “pathetic” and stating he will fight it in court.
In a separate filing, Geffen has asked a judge to terminate the marriage immediately, describing it as “undoubtedly irremediably broken down” and making clear he “no longer desires to be married” to Armstrong.
Geffen founded Geffen Records in 1980, and the label went on to sign major acts including John Lennon, Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith. He also co-founded Asylum Records in the early 1970s and later DGC Records, further cementing his legacy in the music industry.
Beyond music, he was one of the driving forces behind DreamWorks SKG, the Hollywood studio he launched with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. Today, his fortune is estimated at between $8.7 and $9 billion, making him one of the wealthiest figures in entertainment.