Who is the richest man in the world? According to Forbes’ official ratings, Alon Musk is considered the richest man in the world, with a fortune estimated at $ 270 billion. But in the opinion of Tesla CEO he should be ranked only second, after Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with Matthias Dupner, CEO of Axel Springer – quoted on the Calcalist website – Musk answered the question of how he feels about being the richest person in the world: “I think Putin is much richer than I am.”
Musk’s words do not come in a vacuum. Putin’s personal fortune remains a mystery and no one knows exactly how much he is worth or where the large fortune is hidden.
For example, according to one estimate, Putin owns a palace on the Black Sea worth $ 1.4 billion and an apartment worth $ 4 million in Monaco. In 2017, American businessman Bill Barroder even estimated that Putin had “amassed $ 200 billion in capital from dubious sources.”
The Financial Times also dealt with the matter, as reported by Calcalcite, and they said that the Italian authorities were trying to find out who owned a super-yacht moored in Tuscany and rumored to belong to Putin.
The yacht, called Shaharzada, is 140 meters in size and includes 6 decks, 2 helicopter pads, a pool and according to some speculations also a protection system against skimmers.
Opposition groups in Russia say the ship belongs to Putin. Authorities in Italy have confirmed they are investigating who owns the yacht, but have admitted they have not obtained conclusive evidence about the owner. “This is the talk of the town – it’s sensational,” Walter Chiancianoni, who worked in the luxury yacht industry, told the Financial Times.
Since the sanctions were imposed on those close to Putin, authorities in Italy have confiscated assets worth 800 million euros. However, the estimated $ 700 million Scharzada will overshadow all assets seized so far.