Ian Somerhalder reveals he had to sell everything to repay 'eight-figure' debt

Ian Somerhalder has revealed that he sold nearly all his assets to recover from an eight-figure financial setback linked to a business venture.

The actor shared details of the situation during a recent interview, explaining how financial guarantees connected to an energy company led to significant losses.

The former Vampire Diaries star said his situation changed after making “eight figures of personal guarantees to a bank” for the company.

He described the impact of the experience, stating, “I left an insanely lucrative career in television after financial upheaval from building a business that I didn't build properly. And due to fraud, it put my wife and I into an eight-figure hole.”

Somerhalder did not provide specific figures or further detail about the company involved. However, he outlined the steps taken to manage the debt, crediting his wife Nikki Reed for playing a key role in resolving the situation.

“Eight figures is a hard hole to climb out of,” he said. “But Nikki and I did it. You know, she really negotiated us out of this deal, but we sold houses, paintings, cars, watches, everything.”

The actor added that the experience marked a turning point in his career path, as he stepped away from television work to focus on business ventures. In recent years, Somerhalder co-founded Brother’s Bond Bourbon alongside his former co-star Paul Wesley in 2020.

He also noted personal developments outside business, including learning to fly. “I've just started learning how to be a pilot,” he said, adding, “You plan as much for when things don't go right as when they do.”

Somerhalder and Reed, who married in 2015, have two children together.