Gisele Bundchen: The hottest next future supermodel billionaire

We all know Gisele Bundchen (aka Mrs. Brady) is a little on the HOT side, right?

But her personal balance sheet is on fire. Five alarm financial fire.

Her bod made her a multi-millionaire - she has been the highest-paid supermodel since 2004. Now her brain and business savy could make Bundchen the world’s first billionaire supermodel (by the time she turns 32 next summer).

The Brazilian bombshell is branding herself so effectively, via licensing agreements and her own lingerie company, that Forbes estimates she could very well be worth more than a billion dollars in the very future.

Bundchen has been the top-earning model in the world for seven consecutive years, thanks in part to endorsements for labels such as Versace and Dior.

Now you can help her to earn more by buying products from her new eco-friendly cosmetics company (Sejaa Pure Skincare) and also Gisele Bundchen Brazilian Intimates.

Forbes estimates her cumulative earnings over the past ten years at more than $250 million. Bundchen and husband NFL player Tom Brady also have a number of significant real estate investments.

If all of this happens according to Gisele's strategic plan, Bundchen would be Brazil’s first female self-made billionaire.

Where was Warren Buffett?

As readers of Think Billions know and realize, we think Warren Buffett (yes, that Warren Buffett) has been given a completely free pass when it comes to Moody's, the credit scandal and the recent financial meltdown.

Well, now the SEC might not be giving away those free passes away any longer. Statute of limitations nonewithstanding.

Today's Wall Street Journal headline on page c1 reports: Raters Drawing SEC Scrutiny.

"U.S. securities regulators are weighing civil fraud charges against some credit-rating companies [Moody's] for their role in developing the mortgage-bond deals that helped unleash the financial crisis..."

Now, we don't think Uncle Warren will be called in front of a congressional sub-committee anytime soon. Our continued bet is on another appearance on MSNBC with his friends explaining it was really no big deal.

Really.

As part owner of Moody's [via Berkshire Hathaway] the question will remain until the end of time: Where was Warren Buffett?

Congratulations Dallas Mavericks!

Congratulations Dallas Mavericks on winning the 2011 NBA World Championship!


As readers of the Think Billions blog know, we have been frequent critics over the years of Dallas owner Mark Cuban. But because we feel that he did a great job of keeping this team together and keeping them focused, we can easily say.......


Congratulations Dallas Mavericks!!!

The Nice Billionaire That Saves You Money

Yes, there are nice billionaires out there and Eric Lefkofsky is one of them.

It just so happens that this 41-year old family man living in suburban Chicago will be worth $4 billion or so after his start-up company goes public (IPO) later this year.

That company is Groupon of course.

Enjoy the savings North America.

Enjoy the financial rewards, Mr. Lefkofsky.


WSJ article

Should You Short Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) ?

Update On Ralph Lauren (RL) Short

via Serge Berger, Head Trader at Blue Oak Advisors LLC

Billionaires that back "The Weiner"

According to a Forbes blog post, billionaires that have financially supported and/or currently back U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner include:

Sumner Redstone: Net Worth $3.8 billion; Beverly Hills, CA.
Alex Rovt: Net Worth $1.7 billion; Brooklyn, NY

This list is still under development and further research is pending.

Why Does Everybody Love Ralph Lauren?

Everybody loves Ralph Lauren.

Excepting, the Think Billions blog, we suppose.

For some particular reason, there have been an incredible recent flury of articles from Barron's, Forbes, and elsewhere on Ralph Lauren Inc. It is like the Ralph Lauren public relations department is compensated solely by direct article placements these days.

Now, everybody loves Ralph's daughter. There she is on another magazine.

“When your dad is worth $5.8 billion, it’s not like you need to work for a living. But Dylan Lauren, 36, daughter of fashion mogul Ralph Lauren, devotes round-the-clock energy to her ten-year-old retail sweets business, Dylan’s Candy Bar.” (Forbes)

How sweet and touching, Dylan.

Again, we applaud the Lauren public relations department (wherever they are). Really. Here's Dylan, doing her best to increase blood sugar levels and maximize diabetes victims worldwide and nothing but admiration and praise are sent her way. Sweet. Very sweet.

What we at Think Billions don't get is why some enterprising business writer or blogger hasn't looked into Ralph Lauren's business practices over the years. (see Ralph Lauren: Engine of Style )

Yes, we get the part that there are huge advertising budgets at play here. But still, some writer somewhere should consider looking into his business practices and looking into how his business was formed.

It would be a great article, book or even movie.

Best of luck.

Of Wiretaps, Raj and the Courts

Expose Corrupt Courts: But What Did Corrupt Lawyers Know....: "U.S. Wins Convictions in Inside Trading Case The New York Law Journal by Mark Hamblett - May 11, 2011 Devastating wiretap evidence and ..."

Raj Rajaratnam goes down and goes down hard!

Hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam was convicted on all 14 counts of fraud and conspiracy on Wednesday (May 11, 2011) in the biggest insider trading case and decision ever!

No one on plant earth is surprised. No one.

Ralph Lauren: Engine of Style

He is 71 years old. He is a college-drop-out and former store salesman with Brooks Brothers.

In 2010, Forbes estimates his wealth at $4.6 billion dollars which would make him the 173rd richest person in the world.

He is the world famous fashion designer and business executive, best-known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand. He is Ralph Lauren.

Ralph Lauren is applauded and lionized in the Wall Street Journal's (weekend edition) "OFF DUTY" section with the article entitled "Engine of Style."

It is rather interesting that Mr. Lauren is never asked how he happened to "acquire" the Polo brand name. You'd probably have to ask someone who was playing Polo at the time for the most interesting and true story.

Enjoy your auto collection, Mr. Lauren.




WSJ article

How Corrupt is the Berkshire-Hathaway Audit Committee?

As Berkshire-Hathaway continues to whitewash Warren Buffett, a report on David Sokol's conduct by its "audit committee" has opened itself to more questions and confusion.

The audit committee, which consists of three “independent” directors, concluded Sokol had violated Berkshire’s insider-trading policies and code of ethics, an allegation he denies.


The report itself, however, was anything but independent.


Rather than hire its own separate legal counsel, as the company’s charter authorizes it to do, the audit committee relied on Berkshire’s longtime law firm, Munger, Tolles & Olson, to help conduct its probe and prepare the report. And the committee allowed Ronald Olson, a Munger Tolles partner and Berkshire director who isn’t independent of the company’s management, to act as its public spokesman, all of which underscores weaknesses in Berkshire’s own corporate governance.

Bloomberg article

Glencore's IPO will mine 6 new billionaires

Glencore, the global commodities producer and marketer based in Switzerland, has released its long anticipated prospectus for its upcoming IPO (initial public offering) this year.

As a result of the IPO, which will value the company at roughly $60 billion, six new billionaires including CEO Ivan Glasenberg, aged 54, will be created.



Glencore

Forbes article

Meet the billionaire's parents

Once upon a time, Richard Branson was a high-school dropout with some big ideas. Today, his Virgin Group controls more than 300 companies. His parents, Eve and Ted, reflect on the less-than-traditional child-rearing methods that brought up a billionaire.

article

A Billionaire Goes All-In on Gold

Gold is setting records .... But few individuals stand to benefit as much as low-profile billionaire Thomas Kaplan. A New York-born commodities magnate who earned a doctorate in British colonial history at Oxford, Mr. Kaplan oversees an empire devoted largely to gold.


article

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