Putin's Net Worth Allegedly More Than Double Bill Gates' Fortune

putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin's net worth could make him the richest man in the world.

Last Wednesday (Feb. 15), International Business Times reported the president of the former USSR could have a fortune worth some $200 billion.

At least according to the outlet's source - Russian fund manager and author Bill Browder.

Browder claimed that "after 14 years in power of Russia, and the amount of money that the country has made, and the amount of money that hasn't been spent on schools and roads and hospitals and so on, all [Putin's] money is in property, bank - Swiss bank accounts - shares, hedge funds, managed for [the Russian president] and his cronies."

Browder's $200 billion estimate would make Putin the wealthiest person on the planet, according to the premier chronicler of the planet's "most wealthy" list standards: Forbes magazine.

The current "Wealthiest Person in the World," according to Forbes' latest calculations (revealed Feb. 18), is Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) founder Bill Gates, whose net worth clocks in at $75 billion. That's a lot of money for the renowned creator of the Microsoft dynasty, but still a noticeable $125 billion less than what Putin purportedly holds.

And there are two specific reasons why the Russian president has never made Forbes' list...

Two Reasons Why Forbes Discredits Putin's Net Worth

The first reason has to do with Browder's estimated $200 billion.

Despite his best guess on Putin's net worth, it's just that: a guess.

You see, no one actually knows how much the Russian president - a former KGB agent - is actually worth.

Just Released: These "Second Salary" Plays Could Make You and Your Grandkids Rich

And that's because the Kremlin doesn't want anyone to know.

The most often cited estimate of Putin's net worth before Browder came along was from a mid-level Kremlin adviser in 2012...

[mmpazkzone name="end-story-hostage" network="9794" site="307044" id="138536" type="4"]

Stanislav Belkovsky.

In 2012, Belkovsky wagered Vladimir Putin's net worth to be around $70 billion, based on new information from "confidential sources around [various Russian] corporations," according to an April 2012 interview with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

Then, in 2014, the U.S. government claimed to have credible information about direct Putin financial interests to Russian commodities trader Gunvor Group, reported Bloomberg in March of that year. This discovery added fuel to former U.S. President Barack Obama's broader sanctions imposition on Russia at the time.

Gunvor vehemently denied the Russian leader had any stake in its company, claiming such a reality would make oil producers, traders, and banks reluctant to do business with it.

For its part, Uncle Sam could never say for sure that Putin had direct access to additional funds through Gunvor - only that it had credible reason to believe as much. This is why Gunvor's revenue, last reported to the public at $93 billion in 2012, was never added to Putin's overall net worth speculation.

Forbes wrote as a justification preamble for excluding Putin's wealth in 2015: "We value individuals' assets - including stakes in public and private companies, real estate, yachts, art, and cash - and take into account estimates of debt. We also consult an array of outside experts in various fields." Because Putin's assets can't be completely verified and accounted for, Forbes won't include him on its list, the site claimed in 2015.

But even if Putin does have Browder's estimated $200 billion to his name, Forbes won't acknowledge the Russian leader's wealth for an entirely different reason altogether...

The media outlet then noted that some individuals "cooperate" while "others don't," which could handily be read as a passive-aggressive slight to the Russian government's notoriously secretive code of conduct.

Forbes concluded its full statement on Putin's wealth omission by stating he ultimately did not make its list because it won't include "dictators who derive their fortunes entirely as a result of their position of power."

Up Next

China thinks it can push the United States and its allies out of Asia altogether to secure its energy riches for itself.

Thanks to a small $6 U.S. defense contractor with top-secret technology, the Pentagon has a plan to stop China dead in its tracks. Click here for the full briefing.

Follow Money Morning on Facebook and Twitter.