Denise Lombardo: Meet Jordan Belfort's First Wife

Denise Lombardo is commonly known for being former stockbroker Jordan Belfort's first wife and has led a life out of the public eye since he became her ex-husband.

Jordan Belfort became a well-known man after his life was portrayed in the blockbuster movie, "The Wolf of Wall Street." And in the film, the audience caught a glimpse of his first wife, Denise Lombardo.

Little is known about Denise Lombardo, as she has steered clear of the limelight over the years. However, her ex-husband has sung her praises and revealed he did not mean to hurt her after leaving her for his second wife.

Jordan Belfort at the premiere after party for "The Wolf of Wall Street" on December 17, 2013, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Denise Lombardo and Jordan Belfort before the Fame

In his book "Catching the Wolf of Wall Street," Denise's ex-husband describes her as a dark-haired, Italian beauty who was as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. The stockbroker joked that he was initially convinced Denise only loved him for his red Porsche, which was very impressive for someone with his background.

People used to point at Denise and gossip whenever they saw her, whispering that she was the woman Jordan left for a model.

Nonetheless, Denise was a "great" wife, her ex-husband revealed. The former couple lived in a tiny apartment in Jordan's hometown, and he shared, "I tell you the truth: when I first laid eyes on Denise, I was absolutely blown away."

Jordan Belfort circa 2007. | Source: Getty Images

Denise Lombardo's Ex-husband Left Her after Falling in Love with Someone Else

After tying the knot, Denise's ex-husband fell in love with the model, who soon became his second wife, Nadine Macaluso. Jordan confessed to cheating on Denise "a dozen times" in his other autobiography, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

However, he fell in love with Nadine and admitted to paying Denise millions in a lump sum and $50, 000 per month after that for her to leave the marriage quietly. Jordan also confessed that he never intended to hurt Denise and felt awful about his actions.

People used to point at Denise and gossip whenever they saw her, whispering that she was the woman Jordan left for a model. Denise retreated from the public eye so much that she did not want her name to be used in the film about Jordan's life, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Thus, Denise's character — played by Cristin Milioti — goes by a different name. During an interview, the actress expressed her interest in hearing Denise's side of the story as the woman who had been by Jordan's side since the beginning. Cristin added:

"No one would want to re-live what she went through. Plus — and the movie didn't show this — she was dragged through the tabloids [...]. She was only 25 years old, and people were saying — and Jordan mentions it in the book — that he traded her in for a better model, essentially. That's terrible."

Denise Lombardo's Ex-husband's Other Marriages

Nadine — who Margot Robbie played in "The Wolf of Wall Street" — was married to Jordan for seven years and has since opened up about their tumultuous relationship years after divorcing him.

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