How much money can someone steal after 30 years as the dictator of a major country with a command economy and a military reaping billions in “off-budget” profits? Quite a bit, as it turns out.
Though Forbes Magazine lists Mexican telephone giant Carlos Slim Helu as the world’s richest man, his $50+ billion net worth may actually take a distant second to the unfathomable wealth Mubarak has managed to assemble over decades of dictatorship and years as a top military official before that.
Indeed, while the overall size of Mubarak’s personal fortune is not well documented (and for good reason, because much of that money surely vanished out of government coffers), estimates put his wealth in the realm of $70 billion, held in British and Swiss banks and in real estate holdings around the world.
Experts say Mubarak had the foresight to put most of his wealth abroad, where he and his family will still be able to get at it after his seemingly inevitable deposition. But with a net worth that would make the ancient pharaohs blush, the real question is what on earth is keeping him stubbornly hanging on to the reins of power in Egypt – surely he has taken enough to be satisfied by now.
Propaganda. Numbers from thin air. Sort of like the Iraqis killing babies in Kuwaiti incubators. The fastest way to become a billionaire is to have the MSM hate you. Where would all this cash come from? Mubarak has likely taken care to have a foreign nest egg nut these numbers are off the wall..
How much was the CIA paying him personnally? A $ billion a year would mean that over 30 years he would accumulate $70 billion easily by investing wisely. The other route in Egypt was that foreign companies had to include a local with 50% ownership if they wanted to enter the Egyptian market. So more money for Mubarak and his cronies there.
Mubarak will not be the first dictator/politician to stash away wealth during their years of office. It has happened over and over again. Thatcher was the daughter of a shopkeeper, but ended up with many millions following her years in office. Likewise with Tony Bliar, who is now with millions after leaving office. Prudent politicians always make preparations for their old age and, accustomed to 'thinking big', what these people think they need far surpasses anything that ordinary greedy folk like ourselves would ever dream of.
Greed is an incurable brain disease, like alcoholism and drug addiction. Such people are never satisfied. More to the point, this is probably the cause of them seeking high office, something that psychologists have called ponerology – the psychosis of power.
Greed is not an "incurable brain disease". It is a choice–the choice of bad character. Men have free will. One is not born with Greed, only the capacity to indulge it. Taking a personal example, there are wealthy individuals who are not corrupt, who have made their money through hard work, and did not give into bribes and corruption when tempted. It is all in one's values. Please do not blame the brain, blame failure of personal judgment. Then again, you are talking abot politicians, and they are mostly rotted out from the start
These are corrupt dictators under the flag of america looting nations wealth. This not an exception but a routine that politicians and dictators looted money is deposited in the west i.e. so called american aid come back to us with illegal means. America gave 60 biöllion in 30 years to Egypt and Hosni Mubarek looted 70 billion and together with his other family members and cabinet members over 4-500billion dollars.
The same tragedy is in Pakistan we get aid for illegal war but the politicians and generals and civil bureaucrats have 0ver 500 billion dollars in the west and the country is poor.
When Egypt is bankrupt, Mubarak can surely lend the youth Government some money , out of his 70+ Billions $( the public sums accumulated for 30 years)
the real question is what on earth is keeping him stubbornly hanging on to the reins of power in Egypt – surely he has taken enough to be satisfied by now. Of course, two reasons. Greed & Fear. He fears if he loses power then the new government will go after his family through international courts and sieze his wealth. The greed fact is nothing can satify and fill man's eys except when they place his corps in the grave and cover him with soil. Him, his family, his close relatives and his cronies amassed huge wealth while the rest of the population living in destitute & hunger with very oppressive security practicing kidnapping & torture to keep the population from uprising. Of course the CIA is there 24/7 supporting Mubarak uncondetionally.
That would mean, he would step down only after his wife and two sons are called, maybe the latter would do it, like Ceaucescu of Romania in December of 1989.
But that would assume that the military gets involved. And all I can see that there is NO decent guy in the military, who would do that for the benefit of the people. And you know why??
The miiltary and Mubarak are ensured of the constant support of the USG (not that you can read that in the MSM, it would take another WikiLeaks) and other dictators like Jordans corrupt king, the corrupt dicators in Kuweit and the even corrupter Saudis, which are all in power only by the help of the USG. So, I did mail Obama, that the Egyptian people rip the mask off of the USG, and all BS talk about human rights and democracy are just hogwash! Forget about it what he talks publicly, just look and think! Its just the empire stupid what counts!
W
This is a huge, highly disgusting kinda stuff to note that a military dictator by the support of western nations and israhell, did to a poor nation on the earth for 30 years via this dangerous shameless man. He made people to suffer. But his money will not be his. It must be brought to the people. The good governements around the world should help to get back this money for the welfare of Egyptian people. Egyptian people while being patient for all these 30 years were taken for a dire ride at the expense of all their dreams and a good life. Alas now they have waken up too late and the dictator is too strong to give up that easily because he has the support from WEstern and Israelhell governments. No govt.can save him on the earth. Let people win and let people get good life after this nightmare called Hosni Mubarak and his gang.
Every year we get a list of the 'Most Corrupt Nations' and the strange thing is that Switzerland is never on it and yet as all of us know, all the dictators, swindlers, tax dodgers, and other crooks have 'Swiss bank accounts'. It's as if Switzerland drove the getaway car for every holdup and bank robbery in the world and yet nobody ever holds them accountable.
Excellent observation. Can it be that corrupt politicians (that means the vast majority of them) want a place such as Switzerland where they can deposit their ill-gotten gains?
Doncha know? Taxes are for little people!
Ejipped :^(
Well he has stepped down……..lets altogether say…………………….WHO'S NEXT?
It's time for all the Muslim Nations around the globe to wake up and smell the FREEDOM.
Their looting paronia will be handled later.That money they looted is going nowhere,it will be to where it belongs.Solute to he EGYPTION NATION ON THEIR SUCCESS AND SHOWING WAY HOW TO DO IT TO OTHERS.
While Egyptian people were waiting for Mubarak to step down he was making sure that his stolen moneys is safe and placed in accounts for his son, daughter, ex wife, present wife, new or old lovers in Canada or US or for that matter in Swiss, France, or even Sweden for god sake, these countries hade a very good relation with him for a long time. In such economical system and time anyone and everyone including Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates or Vatican would welcome the peoples stolen money by anyone. They have done it for years so I don’t see any reasons not doing it now, if you don’t believe me ask Berlusconi, the head of Italian political Mafiosi.
I like the story of the tourist who saw three pictures in an Egyptian window, Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak, and asked the owner who they were. This is Nasser who overthrew the monarchy. This is Sadat who made peace with Israel. And this is my business partner's father. The family was taking big cuts off of all imports and stealing businesses and stashing money out of the country. Massive corruption means no jobs and economic stagnation. The Pharaoh has plenty of places to go. King Farouk is the last Egyptian ruler to leave while still alive which says a lot.
If….! Egypt becomes free of all kind of corruptions, I mean political and economic, then people would hang these people by their balls, which I think is a justified behavior wanting to know where the peoples money stolen by these thugs are, I think the tactics, hanging them by their balls, is a good method , believe me they will answer any questions long before suggested tactic. In the other hand some of them might not have any balls which creates a problem.
70 Billion dollars? Seventy Billion dollars? You know- I like money. When I think of myself being "Rich"- I have an image of myself owning a nice house in my hometown- 12 rooms would be good- and owning a house on Cape Cod or maybe Gloucester. And having the freedom to do some world traveling- and provide a tidy sum and those properties to my family when I die.
What sort of "person" amasses 70 billion dollars in personal wealth? I mean- what? I can't fathom that? Half his country has subsisted off 2 dollars a day- two dollars! And this guy has 70 billion dollars? Ehhhhhh . . . .
Evil. That's the only word for it.
I'm reminded of the story of Crassus of Rome- the guy who put down the Spartacus slave revolt. Still listed in the top ten of history's richest men- whose personal wealth translated into today's dollars would be 100 billion dollars. He made his fortune in what else? Slave trafficking mostly- and this guy did things like hire criminals to set fires to houses- and then- since he owned the fire brigades of Rome- would have his factors force people to sign over their properties to him to become renters or else he would let the fires rage out of control and burn down their houses too. He at one point is said to have owned 80 percent of all real estate in Rome!
He met his end leading a military campaign against Parthia (modern day Syria) where he was captured and had molten gold poured down his throat. Only in the ancient world would we ever see such poetic justice. Mubarak and his disgusting kin will more than likely be seen in the fine eateries of Park Ave before too long.
What sort of "person" amasses 70 billion dollars in personal wealth?
One who loots his country and pillages his people for 30 years uninterrupted.
Is anyone would think that the money that stolen by Mubarak and his thugs could possibly be placed in Israel….? I am just asking if Netan…yahooooo or for that matter if the money is in Jordanians Kingdome Banks .., would the King confirm that….? would they…? We know for fact that Ahmad Chalabi stole some billions in Jordan and now he is in charge of Oil ministry in Iraq, here and after all Netanyahu, King of Jordan and Hosni Mubarak they all were very good friends and partner in stealing the Palestinians lands to start with, or would that be possible that stolen peoples money by Mubarak and his thugs placed in Saudi Arabia with any of the kings Banks, like Chase – Saudi Arabia, or Bank of A – Rabia….? Or bank of England or what about bank of Canada. Come on bank mans.., be real tell us the truth.., if that’s what your business is about.., honesty.., one day you will tell.
Actually one of the problems of Egypt is that he privatize industries which laid off millions. Reminds me of Borris Yeltsin's Russia. Capitalism can have bads as well as goods.
What is so good about capitalism…,? Boris Yeltsin was a drunken man whom happened to jump up on a tank while he was drunk…, from that point on he didn’t know what he was doing.., that was the reason for him being drunk all the time figuring out what a hell he was doing. He was used by the west to do what he was told to do by the west, in return he was given a bottle of Vodka made by his fellow Russian and that’s all he wanted. Mubarak in the other hand become the servant to capitalism when he sow in his power that he could steal and from that point on he started obeying capitalism to his last day in the office. In another word he was more stupid then Boris was, Boris didn’t hade anything and he left this world with nothing, Mubarak had everything and could have shared that with its people.
Wow! $70 billion.
That's enough to buy two or three Congressional committees.
Just ask David and Charles if you don't believe me.
That's to be expected of a thief who loots his country and his people for 30 years.
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