Kluge #32 on Forbes 400 richest Americans list
by Lindsay Barnes
Former Charlottesville resident and one-time richest man in America John Kluge comes in 32nd on Forbes‘ annual list of the 400 richest Americans. Despite having to fold restaurant chains Bennigan’s and Steak & Ale, the media mogul who helped create the FOX Network is still worth an even $9 billion, just behind Nike founder Phil Knight and just ahead of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. At age 94, he’s also the oldest billionaire in the top 100. Topping the list for the 15th year in a row is Microsoft founder Bill Gates, with an estimated net worth of $57 billion.
Contrary to the assertions of members of his own party, former U.S. Senator George Allen told radio talk-show host Laura Ingraham yesterday that “Americans are not addicted to oil.” Calling that an “elitist point of view,” Allen said, “Americans are addicted to freedom— the freedom and liberty to move where and when we want.” (
He use to be #1?? When was that??
Excellent question, Barney. We’re doing some digging to figure out the exact year, but it was definitely sometime between 1986, when he sold his collection of TV stations to 20th Century Fox for $5 billion and 1990, when he divorced his wife, local entrepreneur Patricia Kluge.
Thanks for reading,
Lindsay Barnes