Jeff Bezos is the American entrepreneur who founded Amazon and grew it from an online bookstore into one of the most valuable companies in the world. Born January 12, 1964, he is 62 years old. He is married to media personality Lauren Sanchez, whom he wed in Venice in June 2025, after his 2019 divorce from MacKenzie Scott, the mother of his four children. Forbes estimated his net worth at about $378 billion in its September 2026 ranking, making him the second-richest person in America.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jeffrey Preston Bezos |
| Date of Birth | January 12, 1964 |
| Age | 62 |
| Birthplace | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Investor |
| Wife | Lauren Sanchez (married 2025) |
| Ex-Wife | MacKenzie Scott (married 1993; divorced 2019) |
| Children | 4 |
| Known For | Founder of Amazon; founder of Blue Origin; owner of The Washington Post |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$378 billion (Forbes, Sept 2026) |
Early Life
Jeffrey Preston Bezos was born on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His mother Jacklyn was a teenager when he was born, and his biological father Ted Jorgensen left the family early. When Jeff was four, his mother married Cuban immigrant Miguel "Mike" Bezos, who adopted him and gave him the Bezos surname.
Bezos grew up largely in Houston, Texas, and later Miami, Florida. As a child he showed an early fascination with science and technology — famously rigging an electric alarm to keep his younger siblings out of his room — and spent summers working on his maternal grandfather's ranch in Cotulla, Texas, repairing machinery and equipment.
He excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1986 with degrees in electrical engineering and computer science. After graduation he worked on Wall Street, including at the hedge fund D.E. Shaw, where he rose to senior vice president. His first job as a teenager had been as a fry cook at McDonald's.
Career
Founding Amazon
In 1994, after learning about the explosive growth of internet usage, Bezos quit his lucrative Wall Street job, drove across the country to Seattle, and founded Amazon.com on July 5, 1994, working out of his garage in Bellevue, Washington. He chose books as the launch product because they were uniform, low-cost, and easy to catalog. The site went live in July 1995 and sold its first book that month.
Amazon expanded relentlessly: from books into electronics, apparel, and virtually every retail category; into subscription loyalty with Amazon Prime; into consumer devices with the Kindle e-reader and Echo smart speakers; and into cloud computing with Amazon Web Services (AWS), launched in 2006, which became the dominant cloud platform powering businesses, governments, and startups worldwide.
Stepping Down as CEO
Bezos served as Amazon's CEO for nearly three decades. In February 2021 he announced he would step down as CEO, transitioning to Executive Chairman while longtime AWS chief Andy Jassy took over as CEO. The move freed him to focus on his other ventures and philanthropy, including his $10 billion pledge to fight climate change through the Bezos Earth Fund.
Blue Origin
In 2000, Bezos founded Blue Origin, a commercial aerospace company dedicated to reducing the cost of spaceflight through reusable launch vehicles, including the New Shepard and New Glenn rockets. In July 2021, he flew to the edge of space himself aboard New Shepard's first crewed flight, alongside his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and paying passenger Oliver Daemen.
The Washington Post
In 2013, Bezos personally purchased The Washington Post for $250 million, investing in its digital publishing technology and transforming the historic newspaper's online business.
Investments
Through his venture fund Bezos Expeditions, he has backed early-stage companies including Airbnb, Uber, and Workday, along with ventures in artificial intelligence, robotics, clean energy, and life sciences.
Wife and Family
Lauren Sanchez (Current Wife)
Bezos married Lauren Sanchez, an American media personality, former news anchor, licensed pilot, and founder of the aerial filming company Black Ops Aviation, in a lavish multi-day wedding in Venice, Italy, on June 27, 2025. The couple exchanged vows at the basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, with celebrations spanning several days across the Venetian Lagoon and attended by around 200 guests including celebrities and business leaders. Sanchez officially took the surname Sanchez Bezos. The couple had gone public with their relationship in 2019 and became engaged in May 2023 during the Cannes Film Festival, when Bezos proposed with a large pink diamond ring reportedly worth $3–5 million.
MacKenzie Scott (Ex-Wife)
Bezos was previously married to MacKenzie Scott from 1993 until their divorce in 2019, which was finalized after 25 years of marriage. The divorce was one of the most expensive in history and made Scott one of the world's wealthiest women and a major philanthropist in her own right.
Children
Bezos has four children with MacKenzie Scott — three sons and a daughter adopted from China. True to the family's fiercely private approach, the children's names and personal details have been kept out of the public eye.
Net Worth
Bezos's fortune comes overwhelmingly from his Amazon holdings, supplemented by Blue Origin, The Washington Post, investments, and real estate. His wealth fluctuates with Amazon's share price.
- ~$378 billion — Forbes 400 ranking, September 2026 (No. 2 richest American, behind Elon Musk at $908 billion)
- ~$369.6 billion — Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list, late September 2026 update
The September 2026 surge was driven by Amazon stock gains and a much higher Forbes valuation of Blue Origin. These are estimates based on public holdings, not confirmed cash wealth, and the exact figure moves daily with markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jeff Bezos's wife?
Lauren Sanchez, a media personality, former news anchor, and licensed pilot. They married in Venice, Italy, in June 2025.
Who is Jeff Bezos's ex-wife?
MacKenzie Scott. They were married from 1993 until their divorce in 2019.
How many children does Jeff Bezos have?
Four children with ex-wife MacKenzie Scott — three sons and an adopted daughter. Their names are kept private.
How old is Jeff Bezos?
Born January 12, 1964, he is 62 years old.
What is Jeff Bezos's net worth?
Forbes estimated it at about $378 billion in September 2026, making him the second-richest person in America. The figure fluctuates with Amazon's stock price.