Barbara Piasecka Johnson

About Barbara Piasecka Johnson

Barbara Piasecka was a former chambermaid and an heiress of Johnson & Johnson who has an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion as of March 2013. According to the “Forbes 400” list, she was ranked the 120th richest person, in 2012. She was the 376th in the list of World Billionaires as of 2013. Also known as Basia, she was born in Poland. She graduated with an M.A. in Art History from Wroclaw University.
In 1968, Basia left Poland and worked as the cook of Johnson & Johnson heir J. Seward Johnson and his wife Esther but had to switch jobs with the family’s chambermaid. After a year, she became the curator for the Seward Johnson’s art collection. It was after that in which Mr. Johnson discovered her knowledge and expertise in art.
During this time Mr. Johnson had an extramarital affair with Basia. He divorced his wife in 1971 and married her. Upon his death in 1983, Piasecka inherited a bulk of his fortune which included the 18 million shares of Johnson & Johnson. She also got the Jasna Polana, the family’s estate in Princeton, New Jersey. She then converted it into a country club with the manor house serving as club house and the grounds became a par-72 golf course designed.
Piasecka was a known art and antiques collector. She was particularly interested in Baroque and Old Masters. She sold the Badminton cabinet, the most expensive piece of furniture, in 2004 to Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein. It was reportedly sold for a record of $36.7 million. She also sold a Rembrandt in 2009 for $32.9 million to Steve Wynn. She was an active supporter of Art for Autism and has funded philanthropic activities in Poland. She died in April 2013 due to a long and complicated illness.

Net Worth: $3.6 Billion

• Source of Wealth Inheritance
• Birth Place Poland
• Marital Status Married
• Full Name Barbara Piasecka Johnson
• Nationality Polish-American
• Date of Birth February 25, 1937

• Occupation Former Chambermaid and Heiress of Johnson & Johnson
• Education Wroclaw University
• Children None