Days after Lauren Sánchez and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos exchanged vows in a $50 million wedding ceremony in Venice, public attention has shifted to Sánchez's dating history, with critics accusing her of "social climbing" and using "predatory tactics" in her relationships with wealthy and powerful men.

Sánchez, 55, and Bezos, 61, were engaged for two years before marrying in front of a star-studded guest list that included Leonardo DiCaprio and other Hollywood elites.

While the ceremony made headlines for its extravagance and glamour, online discourse has taken a more critical turn.

"She played her cards brilliantly," one commenter said in a now-viral Instagram video compiling Sánchez's past relationships. Another user wrote, "There is no more social climbing after marrying Jeff Bezos. She beat the game."


The former broadcast journalist's relationship timeline includes multiple engagements and high-profile romances.

In the late 1990s, Sánchez was briefly engaged to sportscaster Rory Markas, followed by a yearlong engagement to NFL player Anthony Miller.

"I kind of gave her [the ring] because she bugged me about getting married. She kept it. I didn't say anything," Miller told the Daily Mail in a 2019 interview.

Sánchez later dated NFL star Tony Gonzalez, with whom she shares a son.

She was engaged to actor Henry Simmons before marrying high-powered talent agent Patrick Whitesell in 2005. The couple, who share two children, divorced in 2019.

The same year, Sánchez's relationship with Bezos became public.

At the time, both she and Bezos were still legally married—she to Whitesell, and he to MacKenzie Scott, his wife of 25 years and the mother of his three sons.

According to multiple sources, Sánchez and Bezos first met in 2016, allegedly through Whitesell.

"Both of them are disgusting and they deserve each other," one commenter wrote, while another suggested, "Everyone's just skipping the fact that her husband introduced her to Bezos."

Sánchez's defenders argue that the criticism is rooted in misogyny and double standards.

"People always have something to say when a woman dates up," one fan posted. "But let's not forget—she has her own career and success."

Despite the backlash, Sánchez appeared unbothered. The couple has yet to respond publicly to the criticism.

The ring she wore at the ceremony, reportedly between 30 and 40 carats and worth an estimated $4 million, has only fueled further commentary online.

Whether viewed as a gold digger or a savvy woman who "beat the game," as one viral comment put it, Sánchez's marriage to one of the world's wealthiest men has become a flashpoint in discussions about gender, power, and ambition in modern relationships.

Bezos, whose net worth is estimated at $237 billion, has not addressed the online reaction.

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Jeff Bezos, Lauren sanchez