Several with connections to Nevada make Forbes 400 list

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 9:58 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates topped the just-released Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans with a reported net worth of $51 billion, edging out investment guru Warren Buffet with $40 billion.

Topping the list of billionaires with Nevada connections is Sheldon Adelson, chief executive of Las Vegas Sands Inc., who was No. 15 on the list with a net worth of $11.5 billion.

Others include No. 18 Pierre Omidyar, $10.2 billion, Henderson resident and Ebay founder; No. 19 Kirk Kerkorian, $10 billion, MGM Mirage shareholder; No. 19, three members of the Mars family, $10 billion each, owners of Henderson-based Ethel M. Chocolates and No. 24 Carl Icahn, $8.5 billion, owner of the Stratosphere hotel-casino and the Arizona Charlie's casinos.

The list also included: No. 23 Donald Trump, $2.7 billion, New York-based developer and reality television star now developing the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas; No. 164 Ruth Parasol and Russell DeLeon, $1.8 billion each, residents of Gibraltar and owners of the online poker company PartyGaming and No. 164 Steve Wynn, $1.8 billion, chief executive of Wynn Resorts Ltd.

Those under $1.5 billion included: No. 235 William Boyd, $1.4 billion, chairman of Boyd Gaming Corp.; No. 258 Phil Ruffin, $1.3 billion, owner of New Frontier on the Las Vegas Strip; No. 320 David Duffield, $1.1 billion, Incline Village resident and former chief executive of PeopleSoft; No. 320 Edward Roski Jr., $1.1 billion, chief executive of Majestic Realty and owner of the Silverton; and No. 346 Barron Hilton, $1 billion; Hilton Hotel chain chairman and Harrah's Entertainment Inc. shareholder.