When Bernie Madoff’s decades-long Ponzi scheme collapsed in 2008, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick were among the many high-profile victims who watched their financial security vanish. But unlike others who had placed all their trust in Madoff’s promises, the Hollywood couple had a fallback: real estate.
Nearly Lost It All
he actors, married since 1988, reportedly lost millions in the investment scandal, some estimates put the figure near $30 million, although they’ve never confirmed the exact amount. As of 2025, Kevin Bacon and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, have a combined net worth of $45 million.
“It sucked,” Bacon said in a recent interview with People. He and Sedgwick had placed the majority of their portfolio with Madoff, whose returns had appeared to be both consistent and impressive for years. “If it seems too good to be true, then it’s too good to be true,” he reflected.
Madoff’s arrest exposed what may be the largest Ponzi scheme in history — an estimated $65 billion operation that fooled celebrities, financial elites and retirees alike. For Bacon and Sedgwick, the fallout was both personal and financial.
Still, the couple wasn’t left entirely empty-handed. Bacon’s early decision to invest in real estate, a move made before his relationship with Sedgwick began proved to be a foundation for rebuilding.
Back in 1983, Bacon purchased a 40-acre farm in Sharon, Connecticut. The town, nestled in Litchfield County, offers privacy and pastoral charm, a world away from the spotlight. At the time, the median home price in the Northeast was just $82,200, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Today, the average home in Sharon is valued at nearly $670,000, according to Zillow. With 40 acres, Bacon’s property alone is likely worth several million dollars, a meaningful asset in their post-Madoff financial recovery.
There’s no indication the couple ever used Madoff’s firm for their real estate investments, and that lack of overlap turned out to be crucial.
“Not jaded, more careful, but not jaded,” Bacon said when asked whether the betrayal had left a lasting emotional impact. People described him as surprisingly upbeat given the scale of the loss.
For years, Madoff had built a reputation as a financial wizard, offering returns that defied market conditions. Many in the financial world questioned how he managed it. In the end, those concerns were well-founded.
Bacon and Sedgwick weren’t alone in their trust. Madoff counted celebrities, business leaders, charitable organizations, and retirees among his clients. The unraveling of his empire not only destroyed fortunes but also left emotional and legal scars across the financial world.
The couple has since remained relatively private about the details of their recovery, but real estate appears to have played a quiet, stabilizing role. Their Connecticut property which is held through decades of market cycles, is emblematic of a kind of long-term planning that stood in contrast to the too-good-to-be-true returns Madoff promised.
While the Madoff scandal reshaped their approach to investing, it didn’t leave them paralyzed. Bacon and Sedgwick have continued to act, direct, and produce. Sedgwick’s directing credits have expanded in recent years, and Bacon remains active on screen and in music.
Real estate has increasingly become a go-to asset class for investors seeking tangible long-term growth, particularly following the volatility of recent decades. For those like Bacon, who bought early and held firm, the rewards are not just financial, but also personal.
In a 2023 appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast, Bacon mentioned that while the Madoff ordeal was painful, it didn’t define their lives.
“You’ve got to keep moving forward,” he said. “That’s what we’ve always done.”
As alternative investments like real estate and private equity grow in popularity among celebrities and the ultra-wealthy, Bacon and Sedgwick’s experience offers both a cautionary tale and a quiet roadmap: trust your instincts, diversify your assets and never put it all in one basket.