Rupert Murdoch is not shy about enjoying the spoils of his success. The News Corp Chairman and CEO—who is the world’s 85th richest person, with an estimated net worth of $21.6 billion—just forked over $200 million with his wife, Jerry Hall, to purchase a sprawling Montana cattle ranch from the billionaire Koch family, according to a new report, marking the latest addition to an already eye-popping portfolio of properties accumulated by the storied media mogul. The deal between the two conservative giants of the mega-rich was first reported Thursday by The Wall Street Journal, citing people with knowledge of the transaction. A spokesperson for Murdoch confirmed the purchase of the ranch, known as Beaverhead, to the WSJ, but did not comment on the price. (Representatives for the Murdoch and Koch families did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Forbes). Beaverhead Ranch, a 340,000-acre working cattle farm located in southwest Montana near Yellowstone National Park, was purchased more than 70 years ago by Fred C. Koch, the late founder of Koch Industries. The conglomerate, which ranks as the U. S.’s second-largest private company according to Forbes, has been run for decades by one of his sons, billionaire Charles Koch, a prolific Republican donor. Now shifting from one billionaire family to another (Forbes estimated the Kochs to be worth $100 billion a year ago, making them America’s second richest family), Beaverhead spans 50 miles across two different counties. Among the ranch’s most impressive features are a 28-mile long river for trout fishing and 25 homes, which are mostly used by employees, according to The Journal. Its sale marks the largest ranch transaction in Montana history. Murdoch described its ownership as “a profound responsibility.”It’s a massive purchase that beefs up an already substantial array of real estate held by the 90-year-old Murdoch, whose wealth comes primarily from his stakes in News Corp, Fox and Disney, which purchased the film and TV assets of his 21st Century Fox, for $71.3 billion in March 2019. The Murdoch family owns at least three other mega-properties—including another ranch—in the U. S. and Australia. Within the U. S., Murdoch has feet on both coasts thanks to the 2013 purchase of Moraga Vineyards and Estate, a 13-acre winery and mansion in Bel Air, California. The land was owned by Gone With The Wind director Victor Fleming before it was transformed into a vineyard by corporate titan Thomas Jones in the 1970s. Murdoch paid $28.8 million for the property after seeing it advertised in The Wall Street Journal, a newspaper owned by Murdoch’s News Corp. . It continues to run as an active winery, selling a Bordeaux-style red for $175 and a sauvignon blanc for $115, while its main residence—a 7,500 square foot Mediterranean-style mansion—serves as lodging for when the super-rich couple venture out west.
All data is taken from the source: http://forbes.com
Article Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamc...
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