It’s not alimony, it’s doing the right thing by an ex, Simon says in new interview

Sep 26, 2011 13:10 GMT  ·  By

Dating Simon Cowell is, from a financial point of view, just as advantageous as marrying him is. In a recent interview cited by Monsters And Critics, the media mogul has confirmed what’s been known all along: he does pay off his girlfriends.

As reports that the engagement with Mezhgan Hussainy is off are picking up speed, Simon comes clean about something that’s been speculated all along, namely the parting gifts he offers to some of his girlfriends.

Some might call it unofficial alimony, but Simon believes the women he dates shouldn’t suddenly stop living a life they’ve become accustomed to simply because he’s no longer with them.

“You can’t have somebody in your life who’s become accustomed to a certain thing, and just because you don’t want to be in the relationship any more say to them, now everything is cut off,” Cowell says in the interview.

That would make the both of them miserable, he says. However, the secret is not to offer them these presents too often.

“That doesn’t make sense. It’s not alimony. It’s, I believe, doing the right thing. And that comes back to me wanting them to be happy. You just can’t do it too many times,” he explains.

Because of this, Simon has earned himself quite a reputation of a generous ex. He and Terri Seymour, for instance, dated for 6 years before splitting in 2008 because he didn’t want to be tied down.

It is believed Seymour was offered over £6 million ($9.3 million or 6.9 million Euros) as a “parting gift.”

Simon also allowed her to continue living at his Beverly Hills mansion, while her own place was being decorated – which was also a present from Cowell, estimated at £3 million ($4.6 million or 3.5 million Euros).

A rep for television’s Mr. Nasty, contacted for comment on whether the engagement to Mezhgan was still on, would only say that the two are as close as ever, but Simon is definitely not preparing for a wedding.