Sonja Morgan has been in the spotlight for years now as a member of Bravo’s reality television series “The Real Housewives of New York City” (abbreviated RHONY). She reportedly earns $465,000 per episode.
The 58-year-old, with her fabulous townhouse and entrepreneur ambitions, seems to be living the dream as a reality television star.
Sonja, who was a cast member during the show’s third season which premiered March 4, 2010, saw her luxurious lifestyle come to a crashing halt when she filed for bankruptcy protection in November of that year.
Sonja Morgan attends the 22nd annual GLAAD Media Awards presented by ROKK Vodka March 19, 2011 at Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York City (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
As it turns out, the star was $19.8 million in debt, reportedly the result of a failed movie venture with Hannibal Pictures Inc.
She reportedly promised to invest $18 million in a planned John Travolta movie, “Fast Flash to Bang Time,” but never came up with the money. In 2009, a judge ordered her to pay $7 million in damages.
However, could it really be that her 2006 divorce from financier John Adams Morgan was the real reason behind her debt?
Sonja Morgan’s Divorce and How it Led to Bankruptcy
Sonja and John originally married in 1998. The union was received with a healthy dose of skepticism, given that Sonja and John met the same year of their wedding, and that the proposal happened on their first date.
Sonja was quickly labeled a “gold digger” by many due to the couple’s 33-year age difference and John’s impressive financial status. John purchased the two of them a famous New York townhouse for $9.1 million.
Jennifer Gilbert, Alex McCord, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan attend a screening party for the third season of “The Real Housewives of New York” held Feb. 24, 2010 at Tenjune in New York City (Credit: WENN)
However, the two divorced in 2006. Following the separation, Sonja was given an allowance of $275,000 per year.
Despite her annual six-figure income, Sonja’s expensive lifestyle remained unchanged, which led to the accumulation of almost $20 million in debt.
Sonja Morgan Facts
| How much is Sonja Morgan's net worth? | She is an American socialite, former model, film producer, entrepreneur, and reality television star with a net worth of $8 million. |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Sonja Morgan (née Tremont) |
| Born: | November 25, 1963, in Albany, New York |
| Kids: | Quincy Adams Morgan |
| Husband: | John Adams Morgan (m. 1998–2006) |
| Feet/Shoe Size: | 8 (US) |
| Height: | 5′ 7″ (170 cm) |
| Nationality: | American |
| Source of Wealth: | Reality television and her own businesses |
| What is the address of Sonja Morgan's townhouse? | She bought a townhouse at 162 East 63rd Street in 1998 for $9.1 million with her ex-husband John Adams Morgan |
| How much does Sonja make per episode? | She reportedely earns US$465,000 per episode of The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY). |
Sonja Morgan’s Financial Status Change
When Sonja declared bankruptcy, it was discovered that the reality star had roughly $20 million in debt and $13 million in assets.
Given that her ex-husband had a net worth of $100 million, it appears that Sonja was simply continuing to spend beyond her means after the divorce.
Sonja Morgan and her daughter Quincy Adams Morgan attend the opening night of the off-Broadway musical “Freckleface Strawberry” on Oct. 1, 2010, at New World Stages, in New York City (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
Sonja had been struggling to address these issues with her ex-husband and had to fight for an additional $3 million he owed her following the divorce.
Sonja Morgan’s Marriage and Family
Sonja and John did make their marriage work for the better part of a decade, from 1998 to 2006. They met when Sonja was a hostess at San Pietro, an Italian restaurant in New York City.
In addition to their New York townhouse, the two also shared a daughter named Quincy Adams Morgan, who is now 21.
Luxury real estate agent Josh Flagg kisses Sonja Morgan outside Craig’s restaurant in Los Angeles on May 8, 2021 (Credit: Guillermo Proano / WENN)
Quincy, who looks exactly like her mother, graduated from a private boarding school in Watertown, Connecticut, in 2019.
Quincy, an aspiring social media influencer, is currently attending the University of Pennsylvania.
Quincy Adams Morgan Facts
| What does Quincy Adams Morgan do? | She is attending the University of Pennsylvania as a student in the College of Arts and Sciences. |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Quincy Adams Morgan |
| Born: | She was born in October 2000 and turned 21 in October 2021. |
| Kids: | None |
| Husband: | She has never been married |
| Nationality: | American |
| What boarding school did Quincy Adams Morgan attend? | She attended The Taft School in Connecticut for high school and graduated in 2019. |
How Sonja Overcame Bankruptcy
Sonja has stated that she’s determined to overcome her bankruptcy and make a name for herself as an entrepreneur, now that she no longer has her husband to financially rely on.
Sonja Morgan’s daughter Quincy Adams Morgan is a student at the University of Pennsylvania (Credit: Rob Rich)
Sonja was able to settle her her debts, navigate her court dates and successfully execute her bankruptcy escape plan.
Sonja had originally been planning to sell her luxurious townhouse in New York to help with her financial crisis but has been unable to sell her beautiful home.
The famed New York townhouse features a sauna and a library, as well as an impressive 150-square-foot terrace.
Sonja Morgan and Michael Lorber pose for photos at the 2018 Angel Ball held October 22 at Cipriani, Wall Street in New York City (Credit: Rob Rich / WENN)
Her townhouse has been listed for more than eight years and has still failed to sell. Sonja attempted to rent it out at $32,000 per month, but was unable to secure any renters.
Despite being unable to sell her main home, Sonja soldiered on to win her bankruptcy case and then sell off all the additional property she won following her divorce.
Dorinda Medley, Tinsley Mortimer and Sonja Morgan attend the Tribeca talks panel held during the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival September 23 at Spring Studios in New York City (Credit: Derrick Salters / WENN)
One of those additional pieces of property was a multi-million dollar St. Tropez villa, which allowed for $9 million to be released from one of Sonja’s accounts that had previously been placed on hold.
This sale allowed Sonja to break free from her debt and start fresh to build her own name and income.
Sonja’s Clothing Line
The 5-foot 7-inch reality star has successfully developed her own clothing line “Sonja by Sonja Morgan,” which is rapidly expanding and available at Walmart.
The brand was initially released in 2014. It was made available at department store chain Century 21 in 2019 before moving to Walmart’s shelves in 2021.
Sonja Morgan curls her hair and dons a red dress for a night out in front of the cameras
Bankruptcy woes seem to continue plaguing Sonja, though. Her deal with Century 21 came to a quick halt when the retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2020 due to COVID-19, which is what led to the deal with Walmart.
Sonja has looked for other entrepreneurial opportunities post-divorce as well.
In 2016, she reportedly tried to develop a toaster oven, an idea that was later copied by her co-star Bethenny Frankel.
“Oh yeah, it’s always been in the works,” Morgan told Forbes at the time. “I clearly have a prototype made, which you saw on the show. What was initially started with Heather (Thomson) on the show was getting a brand ID and a logo.”
However, neither Sonja or Bethenny’s toaster ovens ended up in production.
Sonja Morgan’s Rise on OnlyFans
We’re not sure if it’s due to the failure of Sonja’s toaster oven idea or something else, but the 58-year-old recently started running an OnlyFans account.
Sonja was never shy about showing off her body during her stint on RHONY, so we’re not sure if her subscribers are flocking to her OnlyFans account due to genuine adoration or out of pure curiosity.
Sonja Morgan and daughter Quincy Morgan pose for photos together while seated at a table (Credit: Rob Rich / WENN)
Rest assured — if you’re wondering what’s on Sonja’s OnlyFans account, several subscribers were quick to publicize what kind of content Sonja posts.
While OnlyFans has a reputation for being a site to view nudity, sexual content, and pornography, Sonja posts promotional content and flashbacks to her RHONY days.
Sonja describes her OnlyFans account as a “behind the scenes access to Sonja’s life.”
The account has gained a lot of attention — and a lot of subscriptions — meaning that this decision has been very profitable for the reality TV star.
Sonja Morgan flashes her butchered breast implants at a burlesque party held June 16, 2013, in New York City (Credit: IZZY / WENN)