Reality television personality and Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is at the centre of controversy again after details resurfaced about how he and his wife, Heidi Montag, reportedly spent millions of dollars amid fears surrounding the highly publicised 2012 apocalypse prediction.
The couple, who rose to fame on MTV'sThe Hills, previously admitted they burned through a fortune after becoming convinced the world was nearing its end.
Now running in the 2026Los Angeles mayoral race, Pratt has recently drawn public interest in the story as his political campaign gains traction online through viral videos and social media-driven publicity. Recent coverage from theLos Angeles Timesand other outlets has highlighted his unusual campaign style and growing visibility in the race.
According to interviews with Pratt in 2013, he and his wife believed predictions tied to the Mayan calendar that suggested the world would end on 21 December 2012. As a result, the couple reportedly spent at least $10 million (roughly £7.5 million) instead of saving or investing it.
Pratt said they thought there was little reason to hold onto money if a catastrophic event was imminent. Reports at the time claimed their spending included lavish gifts for friends, luxury purchases, oversized tips for workers, and expensive personal items. Among the purchases mentioned in coverage were designer handbags and even an armoured truck.
'We made and spent at least 10 million dollars. The thing is, we heard that the planet was going to end in 2012. We thought, we have got to spend this money before the asteroid hits. Here's some advice, definitely do not spend your money thinking asteroids are coming. But the world didn't end. I would give my friends $15,000 for their birthday. Just cash. I would buy people cars. Every valet I met got a couple of hundred pounds tip. I would pay people $200 just to open doors for us,' Pratt said during an interview with OK! Magazine, per aBreitbartreport.
Media reports from that period also described the couple's extravagant lifestyle as spiralling out of control during the height of their fame. Several entertainment outlets noted that Pratt and Montag had previously spoken publicly about financial troubles after their reality television success faded.
Interest in the story has surged again as Pratt positions himself as a political outsider in the Los Angeles mayoral election. Recent coverage has described how viral AI-generated videos and social media clips have helped elevate his profile among online audiences.
L.A.-based Republican political consultantMatt Klink, however, said Pratt is embracing AI as a tool to amplify and refine real-world messaging rather than distort it. 'His whole shtick is that Los Angeles is broken, the insiders have failed, and the political class wants to explain away what voters are seeing with their own eyes,' Klink told the Los Angeles Times.
The resurfaced apocalypse-spending story has sparked strong reactions online, particularly onReddit, where users questioned the decision-making behind the reported purchases and debated whether the incident reflects poorly on his political ambitions.
Source: International Business Times UK
