John Paul Getty III

Jean Paul Getty III Born 4 November 1956
Known for KidnappedSpouse Gisela Zacher Children Balthazar GettyParents Paul GettyRelatives Jean Paul Getty, grandfather

Jean Paul Getty III (born 4 November 1956) was the first of four children of Paul Getty and Gail Harris. He is the grandson of oil billionaire Jean Paul Getty. He is the father of actor Balthazar Getty.

1 Kidnapping
2 Later life
3 References
4 External links

Kidnapping

At age 16, after his father had moved to England, on 10 July 1973 in Rome, he was kidnapped and a ransom of $17 million was demanded over the phone for his safe return. As Paul III was so rebellious, when the first ransom message arrived, some of the family suspected a ploy by the teenager to extract money from his miserly grandfather. A second demand was delayed by an Italian postal strike[1]. Jean Paul Getty II asked his father for the money, but was refused. [2] Finally, in November 1973 an envelope containing a lock of hair and a human ear was delivered to a daily newspaper, with a threat of further mutilation unless $3.2 million was paid over: "This is Paul’s ear. If we don’t get some money within 10 days, then the other ear will arrive. In other words, he will arrive in little bits." At this point Jean Paul Getty agreed to pay a ransom, and Jean Paul Getty Jr repaying the sum at 4% interest.[1]

Jean Paul Getty III was found alive in southern Italy shortly after the ransom was paid. His kidnappers, supposedly linked with the 'Ndrangheta, were never caught.[3]

Paul III was permanently affected by the trauma, and became a heavy drug user. Paul was expelled from St. George's British International School at the beginning of 1971.

Later life

In 1981, a prescription drug overdose resulted in a stroke which left him permanently paralyzed and nearly blind.[4] While in his teens he married Gisela Zacher. Their son is the actor Balthazar Getty.

In 1999, Getty, along with several other members of his family, became citizens of the Republic of Ireland in return for investments in Ireland of approximately £1 million each, under a law which has since been repealed.[3]