The Richest People In America: Ronald Perelman

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#26 Ronald Perelman

$11.5 billion
Source: leveraged buyouts

Wharton grad left dad's buyout business; bought $1.9 million stake in jewelry distributor Cohen-Hatfield 1978. Sold jewelry operation to Sam Walton 7 years later. Purchased licorice maker MacAndrews & Forbes, used as a holding company for buyouts. Bought Revlon (nyse: REV - news - people ) 1985. Sold Golden State Bancorp with Gerald Ford to Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) in 2002 for $6 billion. Owns large stakes in lottery outfit Scientific Games (nasdaq: SGMS - news - people ), military Humvee maker AM General. Agreed to sell security firm AlliedBarton this year.

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