Ethnicity Jewish | Name Denise Rich Citizenship Austrian Parents Emil Eisenberg | |
 | ||
Full Name Denise Eisenberg Other names Denise Eisenberg RichJoy Denny Children Daniella Rich, Ilona Rich Schachter, Gabrielle Rich Aouad Nominations Satellite Award for Best Original Song Similar People Marc Rich, Damon Sharpe, Ric Wake, Jive Jones, Dave Katz | ||
Denise Rich (née Eisenberg; born January 26, 1944) is a US-born Austrian singer-songwriter, socialite, philanthropist and political fundraiser.
Contents
- Early life and education
- Music career
- Philanthropy
- Personal life
- Ex husbands presidential pardon
- Citizenship
- Offshore leaks
- References
Early life and education
Denise Eisenberg was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of Gery (née Diamant) and Emil Eisenberg. In 1962, she graduated from Bancroft School.
Music career
In 1984, Rich penned the lyrics to "Frankie", a hit in 1985 for the R&B group Sister Sledge. Since then, she has written songs recorded by Phyllis Hyman, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson, Marc Anthony, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and Diana Ross. Her work has been nominated three times for Grammy Awards, most recently for the 1999 Aretha Franklin/Mary J. Blige duet entitled "Don't Waste Your Time". She also co-wrote the international hit "Candy" recorded by Mandy Moore.
Philanthropy
Gabrielle Rich Aouad, Denise and Marc Rich's daughter, died of leukemia at age 27. As a result, Denise Rich and Philip Aouad, Gabrielle's widower, founded the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research. It has since been renamed Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. Rich also made a $1 million donation funding the construction of The Gery and Emil Eisenberg Assisted Living Residence on the grounds of the Jewish Healthcare Center in Worcester, an 80-unit facility named for her parents.
Personal life
Eisenberg is in a relationship with Peter Cervinka, an Austrian property developer.
Denise Eisenberg met Marc Rich on a blind date, engineered by her father, shoe manufacturer Emil Eisenberg. They married in 1966 and had three children, Daniella, Ilona, and Gabrielle. They divorced in 1996.
Ex-husband's presidential pardon
Marc Rich received pardon from U.S. President Bill Clinton on January 20, 2001, Clinton's last day in office. The pardon became controversial after reports surfaced that Denise Rich had made donations totalling more than one million dollars to the Democratic Party and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. At a congressional hearing into whether the pardon was granted in exchange for her contributions, Rich invoked the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which denies the government power to compel self-incrimination.
Citizenship
In what was widely speculated to be an attempt to avoid paying US taxes, Rich renounced her U.S. citizenship in November 2011 and became an Austrian citizen.
Offshore leaks
In April 2013, as part of the Offshore leaks tax evasion scandal, financial records were released that showed that Denise Rich in April 2006 had USD 144 million protected from scrutiny by the Cook Islands in the South Pacific in the form of a trust including a Learjet 60 and a 157-foot yacht called the "Lady Joy".