Barbara Piasecka Johnson Net Worth

What is Barbara Piasecka Johnson's Net Worth?

Barbara Piasecka Johnson was a Polish-born American heiress, art expert and collector who had a net worth of $4 billion. Born Barbara "Basia" Piasecka on 25 April 1937, in Poland, she graduated from Wroclaw University with a MA in Art History, and soon, she left Poland, with only $100. Initially hired as a cook by Esther Underwood Johnson, at the time the wife of Johnson & Johnson's heir J. Seward Jonson, Barbara turned out terrible in that position, so she switched several jobs within the family's chambermaid. Once she gave her professional opinion on how Seward overpaid one of his paintings, he was shocked to find out that she has profound knowledge in art and appointed her as a consultant in purchasing works of art. Later on, they fell in love, and by 1971, Johnson had divorced his wife to marry Piasecka.

After 12 years of marriage, Johnson died and made Piasecka the primary beneficiary of his will, leaving her a massive fortune, including Johnson & Johnson's 18 million of shares. Left out from their father's will, Johnson's six children prosecuted on grounds that their father wasn't mentally capable, at the time he signed the will. The case went on trial, but they reached settlement, and the children were granted about 12% of the fortune, leaving Piasecka in control of the majority of the assets. Then, she transformed the family property, named Jasna Polana, into a country club, and moved to Monaco. With a particular interest in Baroque, Piasecka was a well-known art and antiques collector. She died on 1 April 2013 in Sobotka, and was buried in Wroclaw.