Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez’s New Year’s Eve sunbathing session aboard his $500 million yacht Koru was interrupted by an unexpected visit from the French West Indies customs officials while the couple was vacationing in the islands of St. Barts.
The former news anchor, 55, was spotted in a gold-patterned bikini that sparked intense discourse from readers when officials conducted what Daily Mail’s alleged sources called a “routine” inspection of the 417-foot vessel, believed to be the world’s largest sailing yacht.
The three-hour inspection saw at least four officials— two men and two women— moving around on the boat’s decks and questioning all those on board.
According to photos on the website, Sánchez seemed to be calmly addressing a female official who approached her with a walkie-talkie and responding to the officer’s directives while lounging in the winter sunshine. Wearing a wide-brimmed sunhat and large aviator sunglasses, the author maintained her composure throughout the interaction. It is unknown what was said and why they were there outside of random selection.
Prior to the official interruption, Sánchez was enjoying time with friends, including her ex-boyfriend, NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.
The inspection’s timing also coincided with viral coverage of her ex-husband Patrick Whitesell’s holiday excursion in Sydney with his new wife, Chilean-Australian actress Pia Whitesell, 41. The Endeavor executive, 59, and his current spouse were photographed sailing Sydney Harbor on Dec. 29.
The routine customs check on a yacht belonging to one of the world’s wealthiest individuals has sparked a fiery debate on social media.
However, the focus of Daily Mail readers was not too much on finding out the reason but on Sánchez’s appearance — particularly her breasts, which they mocked for being too large and unnatural-looking.
One comment read, “They got on the boat to check to see if there were flotation devices. After seeing Lauren’s chest, they realized it was no longer an issue!”
Another added, “At least the yacht has plenty of flotation devices to grab onto.”
The critics didn’t stop there, saying, “I can’t even imagine putting that too small bikini top on and over those dual blimps – it looks like a 2 person job.”
Others wrote, “Wow, he bought her a Guinness Book record size pair. She looks deformed to me with them that large.”
The commentary grew more vicious with one person stating, “They are getting bigger by the day. That must put a lot of strain on her back and shoulders. I can’t imagine doing this to my body just to please a man.”
The discussion also extended to her overall appearance, with some saying she looked “cheap” even in swimwear.
As one commenter put it, “As Dolly Parton said…it takes a lot of money to look this cheap.”
The dragging even invoked late comedian Joan Rivers, with users speculating on how she would have reacted to Sánchez’s appearance.
“I wish Joan Rivers was still with us. She would have had a FIELD day with her!” one wrote.
Another quipped, joking about the customs agents and her style, adding, “It’s the fashion police, they’ve finally caught up with her!”
No matter what she does, the public seems to take aim at how she dresses — causing her style to be the focal point of many headlines.
This public scrutiny comes amidst complex family dynamics. Sánchez and Whitesell’s marriage ended in 2019 following her reported 2018 affair with Bezos, who was then married to MacKenzie Scott.
Their divorce announcement came through a joint statement: “After a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends.”
The former couple share two children — Evan, 18, and Ella, 16. Sánchez also has a 23-year-old son, Nikko, with Gonzalez, while Bezos has four children with his ex-wife Scott. Whitesell has since moved on with Pia, who brings two sons to their blended family: Isaiah, 21, and Lennox, 17.
Sánchez, vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, recently uploaded a photo of her fall memories to Instagram, featuring fabulous moments with her fiancé and other celebrities like Katy Perry and stylist Jamie Mizrahi.
Amid public chatter about her personal life and looks, Sánchez remains focused on living her best life, celebrating with her billionaire partner and anticipating her marriage to the Amazon mogul.
