John Paul Getty III

John Paul Getty III
Getty in 2003
Born
Eugene Paul Getty II

(1956-11-04)November 4, 1956
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedFebruary 5, 2011(2011-02-05) (aged 54)
Wormsley Park, Buckinghamshire, England
Known for
Spouse
(m. 1974; div. 1993)
ChildrenBalthazar Getty
Parents
FamilyGetty

John Paul Getty III (/ˈɡɛti/; born Eugene Paul Getty II; November 4, 1956 – February 5, 2011)[1] was the grandson of American oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, who was once the richest man in the world. While living in Rome in 1973, he was kidnapped by the 'Ndrangheta and held for a $17 million ransom. His grandfather was reluctant to pay, but, after John Paul Getty III's severed ear was received by a newspaper, the grandfather negotiated a payment of $2.2 million, and Getty was released five months after being kidnapped. Getty subsequently developed an addiction to alcohol and other drugs, leading to an overdose and stroke which left him severely disabled for the rest of his life.

  1. ^ Eszterhas, Joe (March 21, 2018). "J. Paul Getty III: Exclusive 1974 Interview with Kidnapped Oil Heir". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 1, 2021.