Sex Scandals Are So Pricey These Days

There was a time when rich and powerful men were expected to have a few flings on the side--or, if they were really classy, a long-term mistress with her own conveniently located house. Those days are gone, though, and I can't say I'm too upset about it. Now a sex scandal is a career-breaker for most of the high-profile philanderers who actually get caught. Over on The Daily Beast, they've been crunching numbers. What does an illicit affair cost a less-than-discreet public figure?

The price of fame is most striking in the aftermath of scandal. A damage control campaign—staffed by a legion of lawyers, press representatives and aides—is expensive, but so is losing a high-power job and any hope of professional redemption. In the last five years, sex scandals have ended the careers of at least two governors, six Congressional members and one CEO, while countless others remain in office despite allegations, admissions or lawsuits.

Find out who had the 10 Most Expensive Sex Scandals and what they cost; click through for the gallery.