Eliot Spitzer, Wife Separate After 26 Years of Marriage

By Stephen M. Silverman

12/25/2013 at 08:15 AM EST

DIsgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned from office in 2008 after it was revealed he was /people/article/0,,20302270,00.html, announced in a joint statement with his wife late Tuesday that their 26-year marriage is over.

"We regret that our marital relationship has come to an end, and we have agreed not to make any other public statement on this subject," spokesperson Lisa Linden said in a statement released on behalf of Eliot and Silda Spitzer.

The Park Avenue couple have three grown children – Elyssa, 24, Sarabeth, 21, and Jenna, 19 – but have been living apart for months. In the past few weeks the New York Post has been actively tracing the 54-year-old Spitzer's current relationship with former campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith, 31, who's now working for newly elected New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Silda Spitzer, 55, supported her husband's political ambitions, standing at his side during his campaigns for state attorney general and governor – and was still there in 2008 when he admitted he paid for sex with prostitutes.

Silda Spitzer

Brendan McDermid / REUTERS / Landov

The Post also said the Spitzers are worth $1 billion.

Earlier this year he lost a bid in the Democratic primary to become New York City comptroller. Previously, he had a short-lived TV career as a commentator.