Richest Americans - #11

Paul Allen

Net Worth: $16.8 billion
Source: Microsoft, investments
Residence: Seattle
Age: 54
Marital Status: Single

• Microsoft cofounder may be one of most hopeful tech investors ever.
• Spent 8 years at company he started in 1975 with Bill Gates—and 24 years after quitting, it still provides a quarter of his net worth.
• Fortune down 53% since 2000 (back then: $36 billion).
• Lost huge sums on far-off visions: $250 million on Interval Research Group (tiny sun-powered, wearable computers; shuttered in 2000); stake in Charter cable now worth $1.1 billion, down 85% since 2000.
• Even Microsoft fails him: stock down 50% since 2000.
• Once owned 25% stake in company; has sold large chunks of shares over time.
• Tumbles out of The Forbes 400 Top 10 this year.
• Fared better in natural gas: 20% stake in Plains All American up 20% in year, to $830 million.
• Has fun: rock 'n' roll museum in Seattle, basketball's Portland Trail Blazers, football's Seattle Seahawks, 413-foot yacht.
• Went to prestigious Lakeside School with Gates in Seattle.
• Dropped out of Washington State.
• Left Microsoft in 1983 to fight Hodgkin's disease.
• Early backer of DreamWorks SKG, sold out this year.
• Guitar junkie funded 2-year legal battle by Jimi Hendrix kin to recover rights to his music; won.
• Donates to education, arts, science causes.

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