10 Things That You Didn’t Know About James Packer
Many Americans never heard of James Packer until he began dating and then got engaged to Mariah Carey. He has become more well known since he suddenly called off their engagement. If you want to know more about James and more about his split with his superstar fiancee, you should read on. James Packer is a very rich man with a net worth of 3.4 billion but has come a long way since his days working as a jackeroo for his father.
Early Life
James was born on September 8, 1967, His father is media mogul, Kerry Packer. His mother is a philanthropist, named Ros Packer. His father is Sir Frank Packer. He was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. When he was born, his family was rich. As he got older, he managed to make the family even richer.
Education
James attended school at Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. Upon graduation, he earned his Higher School Certificate (HCS). After he graduated, he didn’t further his education. He was hoping to, but he did not have good enough grades to get into a university. Instead, he began working as a jackeroo at his father’s Newcastle Waters cattle station, located in the Northern Territory.
He is a Savvy Businessman
After leaving his job as a jackeroo, James got entered the business world. He started out buying stakes in SEEK and CarSales for $33 million. Six years later, he sold his stake for $440 million. In 2006, he wanted to move his company into international gaming is tourism. To fund this move, he began discussing selling Channel Nine and the Australian Consolidated Press. After he finalized the deal, he made $4.5 billion. When it comes to business, James knows what he is doing.
He Owns Two Homes
Like most billionaires, James owns more than one home. He owns one residential property in Bondi Beach and one in Bellevue Hill Both are located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. His family also has pastoral property holdings in Scone. It is called Ellerston Station.
James Has Been Married More Than Once
In 1999, James married Jodhi Meares at his home in Bellevue Hill. The couple separated in June 2002 after only two years of marriage. In June 2007, James married again. He married Erica Baxter, who is a model and a singer .The pair was married in a civil ceremony at the Antibes town hall. They had a second ceremony for friends and family at Hotel du Cap. In September 2012, after 5 years of marriage, the couple announced that they were splitting up.
James is a Father of Three
James and his former wife, Erica Baxter have three children together. Their daughter Indigo was born on July 27, 2008. Next, they had a son on February 1, 2010, and they named him Jackson Lloyd. Their third child is a daughter, and her name is Emmanuelle Sheelah. She was born on September 22, 2012. His children live with their mother, and James spends as much time with them as possible. He is a very good father.
He Was a Scientologist
After James’ first marriage fell apart, he met Tom Cruise, and the two developed a friendship. Like most people who become friends with Cruise, he got into Scientology. He began attending the Church of Scientology in Australia. He was taking courses on the Church’s Dundas business center. At first, he believed that Scientology was helping him and that he was benefiting from the teachings. Like many people who get involved with Scientology, he realized that it wasn’t the best thing for him and his life, and he distanced himself from the church.
Run in With the Law
In 2014, James was at Bondi Beach with his longtime friend and head of Channel Nine, David Gyngell. The two began arguing, and they got into a very public physical altercation. The police were called and both men were arrested and they were charged with offensive behavior. They were both released from jail quickly and fined $500.
His Engagement to Mariah Carey
On January 21, 2016, James asked Mariah to marry him and she happily said yes. The proposal took place in her hometown in New York, and she said that the proposal was very romantic. He gave her a 35-carat diamond ring. She joked that the ring was so large, that she could barely lift her arm. The ring cost James an estimated $10 million. She described James as being very romantic and an exceptional person.
During an interview with E! News, she said that he gets more romantic every day and that he is very sweet. The couple had only been dating for a year when they got engaged. According to Mariah, a big wedding was not in the cards for the couple. James already had two big weddings and she had one, to her ex-husband Nick Cannon, so they were planning a small ceremony.
James Called Off the Engagement
It took just a few hours after James called off the wedding for the whole world to be talking about it. According to Mariah, the entire thing blindsided her from the breakup to the world finding out. According to Mariah, she was hoping that she and James could release a joint statement regarding the breakup. Instead, James made the announcement himself without Mariah knowing. According to recent reports, Mariah has no intention of returning her huge diamond and she is also planning to sue James for $50 million.
There have been several rumors regarding the reason for the couple’s split. People are saying that Mariah’s close relationship with her manager Stella was the reason. Sources were also saying that she was having an affair with one of her backup dancers and that led to the couple’s split. Mariah denied both claims, stating that James got along with her manager and that she and her backup dancer are only good friends.
There have also been reports that Mariah’s demands and her diva behavior are what pushed James to end the engagement. The couple was in the middle of making wedding plans when James called things off and Mariah was devastated. Sources also report that Mariah and her twins have moved out of the home that she shared with James and they are living in a hotel
