The Real Richest Man in the World and 16 Other Secret Billionaires

Can you name the richest person in the world? Odds are you’ll name Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. You wouldn’t be wrong, according to traditional sources. The Forbes Billionaire List is the go-to for tracking the world’s richest people. But what if the list wasn’t entirely accurate, meaning some people with huge fortunes don’t appear on it? Vladimir Putin is one example, and there are others.

Why aren’t they on most lists? Some rich people want to fly under the radar. Money attracts attention, and they’d rather live in peace. Others earned secret fortunes in less-savory ways. Drug lords, for example, won’t show up on the Forbes list. Neither will gangsters or dictators.

The fact is there’s a lot of dark wealth out there. Some estimates put Putin’s net worth around $70 billion. Recently, though, we learned it may be much higher. Still, we don’t see him discussed alongside Gates or Buffett because his wealth is tied up in obscure banks and investments all over the world. The same goes for many other people.

These 17 individuals and families control a vast swath of “dark wealth.” You won’t believe who owns the world’s largest private residence (page 9).

17. Ilham Aliyev: $500 million

The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and his wife wait to vote in an election. | YouTube

• No one knows the exact worth of oil-rich Azerbaijan’s former president because he stashes money overseas via investments and properties.

Ilham Aliyev only makes the equivalent of $228,000 annually, but occasional high-profile purchases within Aliyev’s family reveal much more. In 2010, the president’s 12-year-old son bought nine luxury waterfront mansions in southern Dubai for “about $44 million — or roughly 10,000 years’ worth of salary for the average citizen of Azerbaijan,” according to the Washington Post. These type of investments are typical of high-profile politicians and athletes who need to hide money. 

16. Wen Jiabao: $2.7 billion

He was the leader of the Chinese government for a decade. | Feng Li/Getty Images

• Wen Jiabao was the head of the Chinese government from 2003 until 2013.

You will find Wen Jiabao’s name in Forbes. But the real interesting thing about the former Chinese prime minister is his estimated $2.7 billion is hidden all over the place through a vast familial network.

A New York Times investigation published in 2012 does a good job of explaining the complicated web of finances that make up the Jiabao fortune, ultimately landing at the $2.7 billion figure. From that investigation, it appears the family — including Jiabao’s mother and children — amassed most of their money while he ran the country.

Next: A surprising female addition to this list

15. Isabel Dos Santos: $3.4 billion

The oldest daughter of Angola’s former president speaks at a conference. | YouTube

• Isabel Dos Santos currently heads the state-run oil company.

Former President of Angola, José Eduardo Dos Santos, has six children from three marriages. His oldest daughter, Isabel, is the richest woman in Africa with an estimated net worth of $3.4 billion.

The country’s wealthy elite — who benefit from Angola’s oil and blood diamond industries — work hard to make sure the poor stay poor. “A great deal of energy is spent trying to remove the poor from the sight of Angola’s hyper-rich,” says BBC journalist Mary Harper. She explains that the poor’s shacks are bulldozed regularly, and the government keeps beer cheap and sponsors concerts and football matches to “distract the poor.” About 90% of Angola’s population resides in slums, living on less than $2 a day.

14. Hans-Adam II: $4 billion

It’s good to be the prince. | Alexander Klein/AFP/Getty Images

• The 72-year-old Prince of Lichtenstein is Europe’s richest monarch.

Who hasn’t dreamed of being European royalty, with billions of dollars to play with and a fun title like “Prince Something-or-Other”? For Hans-Adam II, the Prince of Lichtenstein, that dream is a reality. He’s one of the last remaining monarchs in Europe. And now, at 72 years old, he presides over his family’s bank, investment portfolio, palaces and real estate, and of course its 400-year-old art collection. Not too bad.

13. Kim Jong Un: $5 billion

Most of the money comes from black market trading. | STR/AFP/Getty Images

• “Rocket man” has benefited from the hard and awful work of his father and grandfather.

Seeing as how his family has amassed a fortune by selling off its country’s resources, engaging in cyber warfare, and using slaves, you won’t find Kim Jong Un on Forbes’ list. Though he’s far from the richest man in the world, Kim Jong Un has an estimated $5 billion at his disposal, which he likes to use to buy expensive foreign cheeses and liquors. But most of his country languishes with little food and no electricity.

Next: An Indian mobster and terrorist who’s made an astounding amount of cash

12. Dawood Ibrahim: $6.7 billion

He is a known terrorist and is currently in hiding. | Interpol

• A crime lord and terrorist leader, Dawood Ibrahim runs an organized crime syndicate.

In the United States, we have Tony Soprano. In India, they have Dawood Ibrahim. Ibrahim is a crime lord who runs an organized crime syndicate called D-Company. He founded D-Company in Mumbai during the 1970s, and since then he’s lined his pockets with nearly $7 billion. Ibrahim also has quite the rap sheet. He’s one of the world’s most wanted criminals and is facing charges of murder, terrorism, drug trafficking, and assassination.

Next: This leader owns a ridiculously expensive mega-yacht.

11. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan: $15 billion

He’s been president for decades. | Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images

• The president of the United Arab Emirates owns a $622 million megayacht.

These guys in the Middle East know how to soak up cash and resources if that hasn’t become abundantly clear. And speaking of abundance, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, is worth a cool $15 billion. He has served as the UAE’s president since 1971 and has been instrumental in opening up the country to the west. These days, the UAE is a hotbed of business and political activity, with the president raking in a handsome payday as well.

Next: The former president of a nearby African nation who fell during the Arab Spring

10. Zine al Abidine Ben Ali: $17 billion

He was ousted from power. | Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images

• The 81-year-old Zine al Abidine Ben Ali was the president of Tunisia between 1987 and 2011.

We’ll give you fair warning: This list is rich with politicians and dictators from the Middle East who fell from power during the 2011 Arab Spring. Zine al Abidine Ben Ali is one of them. The former president of Tunisia (serving from 1987 until 2011), Ben Ali has a reported $17 billion in assets stashed away. Like other dictators, Ben Ali pilfered Tunisia by socking away billions for himself, much of which has found its way back to the country’s citizens after his ouster.

Next: The man who owns the biggest residence in the world

9. Hassanal Bolkiah: $20 billion

He owns more than 600 Rolls-Royces. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images

• Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, owns the world’s largest private residence. It has 1,800 rooms.

Many of us are happy to be able to snag an affordable apartment with more than one bedroom, but the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, owns a residence with more than 1,800. His $20 billion worth comes as a result of oil and gas sales and development. The guy also owns more than 600 Rolls-Royce automobiles, to give you an idea of what kind of obscene wealth we’re dealing with here.

Next: More royalty

8. Bhumibol Adulyadej: $30 billion

The country went into a period of mourning after his passing. | Pairoj/AFP/Getty Images

• The king of Thailand recently died, but his $30 billion fortune lives on.

The king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away in fall 2016. But we’re including him on our list because of his immense wealth and the fact that most people don’t realize just how rich he was. He held the throne for 70 years, during which time he compiled all $30 billion of his fortune. Most of that money came from real estate and property investments, with a lot of it growing as Bangkok became a major international hub in recent decades.

Next: Yet another Middle Eastern leader

7. Ali Abdullah Saleh: $30 billion to $62 billion

He never even finished elementary school. | Mohammed Huwais/AFP/Getty Images

• Ali Abdullah Saleh is the former president of Yemen and rose to power after his predecessor was assassinated.

If you haven’t had your fill of rich politicians from the Middle East, you’re in luck. Ali Abdullah Saleh fits the bill, as he was the president of Yemen for more than three decades. One interesting thing about him is he actually never finished elementary school and joined the army at a young age eventually becoming a colonel. Like other leaders in the Middle East, he was removed from power during the Arab Spring in 2011 but not before collecting tens of billions for his personal fortune.

Next: An eerily similar story

6. Hosni Mubarak: $70 billion

Egypt is still having corruption problems. | Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images

• He is another Middle Eastern leader who was overthrown during the Arab Spring in 2011.

The Arab Spring claimed another victim in Hosni Mubarak, who was overthrown after serving as Egypt’s fourth president from 1981 until 2011. Prior to his career in politics, he was an officer in Egypt’s air force. Now, at the age of 89, he’s living off of the roughly $70 billion he scraped together during his reign. Interestingly enough, an Egyptian prosecutor wrote American media outlets in 2011, claiming the Mubarak family had way more money and assets than anyone realized. The total figure, according to the prosecutor? Upward of $700 billion.

Next: Syria’s sitting leader is also a very rich man.

5. Bashar al-Assad: $122 billion

He is thought to have billions stashed away. | Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images

• The Assad family’s estimated net worth varies wildly. But we’ll go with the top-level estimate.

Most of us are familiar with Bashar al-Assad as we have followed the ongoing crisis and disaster in Syria. Assad is another long-sitting Middle Eastern dictator who has more or less used his country as a personal piggy bank. While official estimates put his wealth at a fairly reasonable amount — around $1.5 billion, typically — others suspect he has way, way more than that. Like Mubarak, it’s theorized that Assad’s fortunes are hidden all over and add up to more than $120 billion.

Next: We’re not through with the Arab Spring.

4. Muammar Gadaffi: $200 billion

His body was dragged through the streets for everyone to see. | Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images

• Before being overthrown and killed, Muammar Gadaffi was reportedly one of the world’s richest men ever.

Before he was killed and dragged through the streets, Muammar Gadaffi was the leader of Libya. And, like so many others on our list, he was overthrown during the Arab Spring in 2011. But Gadaffi is different in that he reportedly had an unbelievable amount of wealth, tallying up to as much as $200 billion. When you’re in charge for an entire generation, you evidently can make a lot of money. That’s what Gadaffi did, hiding his wealth in secret bank accounts, real estate, and corporate investments around the world.

Next: A man who’s still alive — and who might just be the richest man in the world

3. Vladimir Putin: $200 billion

For years, the oligarchs of Russia have been stashing money. | Adam Berry/Getty Images

• Unofficially, Vladimir Putin is the richest man in the world with more than twice as much money as Bill Gates. Again, though, that’s unofficial.

Donald Trump may be rich. But his wealth pales in comparison to a man he seems to admire very much: Vladimir Putin. Putin, of course, is the president of Russia and has served as both president and prime minister since 1999. Over that period of time, Putin and other Russian oligarchs have been at work pilfering billions from their country and stashing it all over the world. Recent testimony from financier Bill Browder (as a part of the ongoing Russia-Trump scandal) estimated his net worth at $200 billion. That would make him the richest man in the world.

Next: We’ll continue on with a couple of staggeringly rich families, which deserve a little recognition for just how much money they control.

2. Rothschilds: $350 billion to $2 trillion

There are three generations of Rothschilds in this photo. | Mehdi Fedouach/AFP/Getty Images

• Some members of the Rothschild family appear on the Forbes list. But combined, the family’s wealth amounts to an estimated $2 trillion.

You’ve likely heard of the Rothschilds. And though there are a few members of the family who make an appearance on the “world’s richest” lists, we’re including the family on this list because, well, the amount of money it has is a bit understated. The family fortune is divided up a number of ways, but when you add it all up you get a number that is estimated to be in the trillions by some. But it’s probably more in the neighborhood of $400 billion.

Next: The richest family in the whole world

1. The House of Saud: $1.4 trillion

The Saudi royal family is the richest in the world. | Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

• They don’t call it Saudi Arabia for nothing.

With a total fortune of an estimated $1.4 trillion, the House of Saud controls a staggering amount of wealth. As Saudi Arabia’s royal family, the Saudi family has built most of its wealth through the extraction of oil, which has also helped the country gain considerable political influence and sway on the international stage. Salman in Abdulaziz Al Saud, the current king of Saudi Arabia, is worth more than a billion all on his own. But like many others on our list, the family’s wealth is spread far, wide, and away from prying eyes.

Identity Theft: The Unmistakable Warning Signs Your Identity Was Stolen

Have you been a bit too careless with your Social Security number or indulged in a little online shopping? If the answer is yes, then you’re at risk of identity theft. Over 15 million people were victims of identity theft in 2016 in the United States. Unfortunately, many are unaware until months later when they notice odd charges on their bank statements. Hackers are getting more and more sophisticated in their methods to swipe your identity and have a party — and the damage is much more advanced than forged checks, phony ATM withdrawals, or secret accounts. Your financial future can be destroyed in one fell swoop.

2016’s fraud losses totaled $16 billion, so it’s clear that Americans must be aware of the potential warning signs of identity theft if they want to remain in good financial standing. Here are 15 telltale signs you’ve been a victim of identity theft.

1. You get suspicious phone calls

Older people are particularly vulnerable to phishing techniques and other scams that make it easy to become the next unfortunate victim of identity theft. Hackers are especially good at personalizing their phone calls by confirming your sensitive information to make you believe they’re legitimate. A suspicious phone call from the “IRS” requesting credit card numbers, bank pins, or tax information, for example, is certainly phony, as the real IRS would never request this info via phone.

If you are receiving these calls, or other calls from debt collectors regarding bills that you know do not belong to you, your identity could already be in jeopardy and it’s worth notifying your bank and taking additional steps to address the problem. 

2. You don’t receive your tax refund 

Maybe you had your ducks in a row this year, filing your tax return way ahead of schedule, meaning all that’s left to do is wait for that welcomed refund check to hit your mailbox. If you’ve been playing the waiting game for longer than usual, it could be that your money will never actually arrive at all. This means you’ll need to take the proactive approach to avoid losing your check completely. And it’s worth the extra effort. It takes an average of 278 days to resolve tax fraud. 

3. The IRS notifies you that you filed 2 tax returns 

When someone uses your information to file a tax return, they are hoping to pocket your refund check from Uncle Sam. Unfortunately, you won’t know whether this is the case until the second return is filed and the IRS questions the extra submission. Once you’ve been notified of the rejection, which usually happens as you attempt to submit the second form, the Internal Revenue Service will ask you to complete Form 14039indicating your identity has been stolen. Because fraudulent tax returns are a definite sign of identity theft, your next step should be to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission. 

4. Your office gets hacked 

Although an office hack is not necessarily a telltale sign of identity theft, it’s an event that should trigger extreme caution on your end to protect personal information. When large corporations get hacked, the information exposed is not just company data, but could include personal employee data, as well. Even if the company resolves the breach, you might want to take preventative action on your personal accounts to prevent possible theft. Otherwise information, such as wage information, home addresses, and Social Security numbers, remains at risk. 

5. Your credit score is rising 

Although many would view a rising credit score as a good thing, experts say it could be another unmistakable sign of identity theft. Ralph Rodriguez, chief technology officer at personal data security firm Confirm.io, tells Experian that this sometimes spells trouble on the fraud front. “Check your credit reports frequently for accounts you didn’t open and hard inquiries which could suggest fraudsters are trying to extend credit in your name,” he advises. 

6. You receive strange texts and emails 

In addition to suspicious phone calls, potential identity theft victims could receive scam emails and texts from hackers attempting to lure you into forking over pertinent information. A new theft trend called “smishing,” or SMS phishing, is where text messages encourage you to click a malicious link.

To avoid this dangerous trap, set up a two-factor authentication system to alert you of all outside sign-in attempts. If it’s you attempting to log into your email account, then there’s no reason for concern. But if you just so happen to be at the gym when this alert is posted, it could mean a fraudster is attempting to access your information without your consent. 

7. There’s a warrant out for your arrest 

You obviously have bigger problems if you’ve got the heat coming after you for legitimate reasons, but an outstanding warrant for your arrest is another undeniable sign of identity theft. It’s not as hard as you think for someone to steal your identity and impersonate you. And if they commit a crime in your name, it could leave you on the hook for a crime you weren’t even aware of. 

8. You notice weird charges on your accounts 

Everyone should monitor their credit card and bank statements like a hawk stalks prey to help catch even the smallest cases of identity theft. Ross Federgreen, CEO of a compliance solutions firm, tells Experian that we must not ignore even small charges. “Hackers often place a small charge for a couple of bucks on the card to see if it will go through before they initiate an attempt at a larger fraud later,” he says.

Remember, companies try to safeguard against potential theft by flagging your account and notifying you of these irregularities. But you’ll want to confirm that these alerts aren’t fraudulent themselves. 

9. You’re experiencing a lot of rejection 

If you encounter unexpected trouble opening a new credit card or your card is declined at the store for no apparent reason you mustn’t ignore these scenarios. Aside from the undeniable blow to your ego, being denied credit could be a hint that your identity has been compromised. You should also pay close attention to the terms applicable to you in these instances. For example, when your only options for new cards come with super high rates or other less than favorable terms, it’s reason for concern — especially if this is the first time you’ve ever encountered trouble opening new accounts. 

10. You run into issues with medical insurance 

Your memory is probably pretty solid when it comes to recalling your list of previous medical treatments. So if you start receiving bills from providers for services you’re sure you didn’t engage, it could be a possible sign of medical identity theft. What’s more is that your health plan could reject a medical claim if these unwarranted procedures pushed you over your benefits limit. Worse, if incorrect information is in your medical file, it could affect the treatments you receive in the future. 

11. Your card is declined 

Having a clerk notify you that your card has been declined ranks pretty high up there on the embarrassment scale. But a lack of funds on your card might not be your fault. A fraudster can easily drain your account without your knowledge, so in this instance it’s best to call the company and inquire about the reason for decline. Justifiable reasons could be anything from a lack of funds to a maxed-out card limit or an alert that paused all future card activity. 

12. You use public Wi-Fi or online ‘tech support’ 

One of the best ways to spot possible signs of identity theft is to pay attention to what’s going on with your computer and other online devices. If you don’t check for authenticity or use a virtual private network, identity thieves can access your data via public Wi-Fi systems. They simply lure you in with public Wi-Fi, and while you’re busy uploading the perfect selfie and sipping lattes they’re accessing all your information in cyber space.

Have you had any service done to your computer recently? If you’ve allowed a seemingly legitimate technology service representative access your computer remotely, you could be at risk once again. According to a recent Senate Committee report, “Con artists convince victims to give them remote access to their computers, personal information, and credit card and bank account numbers so that victims can be ‘billed’ for fraudulent services to fix the virus” 

13. Your bank or other company housing your accounts gets hacked 

Sometimes you can do everything right to protect against fraud. You don’t give out your Social Security number unless required, you refrain from irresponsible online shopping, and you shred all your bills. Think back to all those innocent customers involved in the Equifax breach or the Target data breach. Those incidents left millions of people’s information exposed beyond their control. If a company where you do business or have an account has experienced a data breach, it’s all too possible thieves stole your information. 

14. You lose your Social Security card 

So someone pickpocketed you on the street last week. Best case scenario: There’s no evidence of identity theft. Worst case scenario: The hacker goes hog wild with your most sensitive information. While we all hope that a good Samaritan finds your card and returns it to you without ever even glancing at the numbers, such a wish is not always likely in today’s unfriendly world. Keep a close watch on your accounts for evidence of fraud. If fraud is expected, you can call the Social Security hotline to report abuse. To stay safe, don’t keep your Social Security number in your wallet at all. 

15. You’re missing mail 

These days our mailboxes hold irrelevant coupon books and outdated magazine subscriptions. But regardless of whether you receive anything of substance, you should still scrutinize your mail carefully to guard against identity theft. If certain pieces of mail are missing — such as your monthly mortgage bill — it could mean an impersonator changed your address and is slowly collecting your information. Similarly, if certain statements are missing via email, your online settings could also be at risk.

These Companies Are Under Federal Investigation — And Paying Trump Millions in Rent

Is it OK for the president of the United States to use his office for personal profit? According to a Transparency International poll released in December 2017, many Americans are not pleased with the situation.

In fact, an alarming number (44%) said Donald Trump and his staff were the most corrupt thing going in U.S. society. That number represented a 36% increase from the last year of the Obama White House.

Clearly, the first “businessman president” has not settled his conflicts of interest. A February 2018 report by Forbes revealed just how deep Trump’s ties to the Chinese government ($2 million in annual payments) and other foreign entities go. In a word, it comes down to the tens of millions in rent Trump companies charge tenants around the world.

Yet foreign governments aren’t the only concern here. American corporations who have business in Washington D.C. also happen to be Trump tenants — and several faced charges for civil and criminal violations in 2017. Here are the companies that paid millions to Trump while defending themselves against federal investigations.

1. State Street Corp. 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: $2.2 million

While hardly a household name, you may have seen State Street Corp. in the news in 2017. The bank, which is based in Boston, admitted to defrauding clients and agreed to pay $64.6 million to settle criminal charges and pay SEC fines.

Forbes tracked down the bank’s rent payments to Trump properties, estimating the annual tab at $2.2 million. The building is located in New York on Sixth Avenue just below 52nd Street, a few blocks away from Trump Tower. 

2. Verizon 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: Undisclosed

Most Americans got to know Ajit Pai, Trump’s FCC Chair, for his 2017 effort to end net neutrality. Before that, Pai worked as one of Verizon’s top lawyers. You can’t blame anyone for wondering how that affected the investigation Verizon settled with the FCC in October of the same year.

The connection becomes more questionable when you notice Verizon is one of Trump’s major tenants at 40 Wall St. and spent 2017 lobbying the federal government. Since the FCC Inspector General launched an investigation into Pai into collusion with Sinclair Broadcasting, it only got worse. 

3. JPMorgan Chase

  

• Annual rent to Trump properties: $1.5 million

2017 was a busy year for JPMorgan Chase in Washington. CEO Jamie Dimon served on one of Trump’s economic councils and popped up regularly in the White House. Meanwhile, the bank was busy lobbying the federal government to get the corporate tax rate slashed.

All the while, Chase was a major tenant of Trump’s at 1290 Avenue of the Americas in New York, where the bank pays an annual $1.5 million for its space. The bank also had to pay a $4.6 million fine for checking account violations to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in August 2017.

It’s probably just a coincidence that Trump sent Mick Mulvaney, his budget director, to head the CFPB a few months later. Mulvaney said he wanted to halt funding for similar enforcements in January 2018. 

4. Merrill Lynch 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: Undisclosed

Many Americans know Merrill Lynch as the Wall St. bank that paid out billions in bonuses just before getting a taxpayer bailout. Merrill also was under investigation for securities violations during the 2016 campaign and into 2017.

While Forbes does not know the exact amount Merrill Wealth Management pays Trump to rent space in San Francisco building, the outlet has confirmed there’s a deal in place. 

5. Wells Fargo 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: $600,000

Before finishing her term as Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen hit Wells Fargo with the harshest penalty a bank had seen in years: Yellen said the bank couldn’t get any bigger.

After decades of conning customers in a lengthy sting of scams, the penalty still seemed on the light side. Wells Fargo remained a tenant of Trump’s at 555 California St. in San Francisco. 

6. U.S. Postal Service 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: $1,000

 The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is part of the executive branch of the government and also a tenant of the president’s. So, in this case, Trump is renting (for a minor fee) space to a government entity under his control.

For most of 2017, a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs subcommittee investigated the USPS for illegal shipments of opioids going to Americans via China. 

7. UBS Financial Services 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: $1.4 million

It’s been a wild few years for UBS Financial Services, the firm that became a main player in the Puerto Rico debt crisis and was investigated for securities manipulation in 2017.

The firm also rents a pricey piece of real estate from Trump in San Francisco. Forbes quoted the annual rent UBS pays at $1.4 million. 

8. Morgan Stanley 

• Annual rent to Trump properties: Undisclosed

Morgan Stanley, another financial company under federal investigation in 2017, rents space in a Trump building in San Francisco. (Forbes could not confirm the annual lease terms at 555 California St.)

As many taxpayers may recall, Morgan Stanley also received a massive bailout ($107 billion) in 2008. Later, the firm paid $2.6 billion in fines for violations that contributed to the Great Recession.

In 2017, Trump’s tenant settled another investigation into its business practices, this time at a cost of $13 million.