Who Is Claus von Bülow? Biography Snapshot:
- Full Name: Claus von Bülow
- Date of Birth: August 11, 1926
- Date of Death: January 25, 2019
- Nationality: Danish-British
Occupation | Criminal |
---|---|
Date of Birth | August 11, 1926 |
Age | 92 Years |
Birth Place | Copenhagen, Denmark |
Horoscope | Leo |
Country | Denmark |
Date of death | 25 May, 2019 |
Died Place | London, England |
Popularity
Claus von Bülow's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details regarding Claus von Bülow’s height and weight are not well-documented, he was often described as a tall and distinguished figure in the social scene. The focus of his persona relied more on his lifestyle and intriguing legal battles than physical attributes.
Relationship Status:
- Marital Status: Divorced from Sunny von Bülow
- Children: He had two children with Sunny, Alexandra von Bülow and a son named Dorian.
- Current Relationship: There is no public record of Claus von Bülow being involved with anyone post his legal battles and the passing of Sunny.
Claus von Bülow (born Claus Cecil Borberg; 11 August 1926 – 25 May 2019) was a British lawyer, consultant and socialite.
In 1982, he was convicted of both the attempted murder of his wife Sunny von Bülow (born Martha Sharp Crawford; 1932–2008) in 1979, which had left her in a temporary coma, as well as an alleged insulin overdose in 1980 that left her in a persistent vegetative state for the rest of her life.
On appeal, both convictions were reversed, and Bülow was found not guilty at his second trial.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Claus von Bülow's net worth was estimated to be around $10 million. His wealth was primarily derived from family inheritance and the controversy surrounding his life.
- Estimated Net Worth: $10 million
- Income Sources: Inheritance, investments, and royalties from portrayals in various media.
Key Career Points:
- Socialite: Renowned for his elegant social life.
- Legal Battles: Known for his sensational trial which brought significant media attention.
- Investments: Discreet investments contributed to his wealth, although specific details remain private.
Bülow graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, and practised law in London in the 1950s before working as a personal assistant to J. Paul Getty. While he had a variety of duties for Getty, Bülow became very familiar with the economics of the oil industry.
Getty wrote that Bülow showed "remarkable forbearance and good nature" as his occasional whipping boy, and Bülow remained with Getty until 1968.
Known Social Media:
- Public Presence: Largely absent due to his reclusive nature post-trials.
Educational Highlights:
- Early Life: Raised in a noble family, surrounded by wealth and privilege.
- Cultural Education: Exposed to the world of art, culture, and high society from a young age, contributing to his status as a socialite.
In summary, Claus von Bülow remains a fascinating figure in history, not only for his socialite lifestyle but also for the legal drama that defined much of his latter life. This 2025 update captures his lasting influence and the traits that made him a subject of public fascination.
At the trial in Newport, Rhode Island, Bülow was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison; he appealed, hiring Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz to represent him. Dershowitz served as a consultant to the defence team led by Thomas Puccio, a former federal prosecutor.
Dershowitz's campaign to acquit Bülow was assisted by Jim Cramer and future New York attorney general and governor Eliot Spitzer, who were then Harvard Law School students. Dershowitz and his team focused on the discovery of the bag containing the syringes and insulin. Sunny's family had hired a private investigator to look into her coma.
The private investigator, Edwin Lambert (an associate of the Bülows' lawyer Richard Kuh), was told by several family members and a maid that Claus had recently been seen locking a closet in the Newport home that previously was always kept open.
The family hired a locksmith to drive to the mansion, with the intention of picking the closet lock to find what the closet contained. They had lied to the locksmith and told him that one of them owned the house.
When the three arrived, the locksmith insisted that they try again to find the key, and after some searching, Kuh found a key in Claus von Bülow's desk that unlocked the closet.
At this point, according to the three men in the original interviews, the locksmith was paid for the trip and left before the closet was actually opened, although the men would later recant that version and insist that the locksmith was present when they entered the closet.
It was in the closet that the main evidence against Claus von Bülow was found. In 1984, the two convictions from the first trial were reversed by the Rhode Island Supreme Court. In 1985, after a second trial, Bülow was found not guilty on all charges.