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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke
It took decades, but Chuck Feeney, the former billionaire cofounder of retail giant Duty Free Shoppers has finally given all his money away to charity. He has nothing left nowand he couldnt be happier.
Charles Chuck Feeney, 89, who cofounded airport retailer Duty Free Shoppers with Robert Miller in 1960, amassed billions while living a life of monklike frugality. As a philanthropist, he pioneered the idea of Giving While Livingspending most of your fortune on big, hands-on charity bets instead of funding a foundation upon death. Since you can't take it with youwhy not give it all away, have control of where it goes and see the results with your own eyes?
We learned a lot. We would do some things differently, but I am very satisfied. I feel very good about completing this on my watch, Feeney tells Forbes. My thanks to all who joined us on this journey. And to those wondering about Giving While Living: Try it, you'll like it.
Over the last four decades, Feeney has donated more than $8 billion to charities, universities and foundations worldwide through his foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies. When I first met him in 2012, he estimated he had set aside about $2 million for his and his wife's retirement. In other words, he's given away 375,000% more money than his current net worth. And he gave it away anonymously. While many wealthy philanthropists enlist an army of publicists to trumpet their donations, Feeney went to great lengths to keep his gifts secret. Because of his clandestine, globe-trotting philanthropy campaign, Forbes called him the James Bond of Philanthropy.
With Warren Buffett
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2020/09/15/exclusive-the-billionaire-who-wanted-to-die-brokeis-now-officially-broke/#72e659953a2a
How about that--a billionaire as one of the good guys, who gave away his fortune (except a couple million for he and his wife to finish out their lives).
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Leghorn21
(13,520 posts)Thank you, Chuck!!