Matt Lauer May Lose His $9M Ranch in New Zealand
Matt Lauer has already lost a lot since NBC fired him from NBC's Today Show. He had been on top of the world, commanding a $20 million a year payday to head up one of the biggest TV network's flagship morning news program. He has interviewed star after star, and brought us the details of some of the biggest stories of our lives. When the ax fell on his career, it may have killed more than Matt's chance at working in television again.
According to Business Insider, Matt and his wife dropped $9 million on a 16,000-acre cattle and sheep ranch near Lake Wanaka in New Zealand earlier this year. This place is incredible! It boasts tons of lakefront property, a 5 bedroom house, 10 huts (for some reason), and four airstrips. The problem is, New Zealand has a particular set of laws governing the sale of land in their country to foreigners. All non-citizen land owners must retain their "Good Character," or else be forced to sell their property back.
Since his firing at NBC amid sexual assault allegations, New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office (the agency that deals with this sort of thing, has been in talks with Lauer's representatives to determine if he must give up his little slice of Kiwi heaven.