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In reply to the discussion: My neighbor took down all his Trump stuff.. [View all]ProfessorGAC
(77,588 posts)I suspected it long ago, but the Moody's report in 2018 was enlightening.
Highly inflated asset values (20% or more), understatement of debt load, from only US lenders (at least $1.2 billion)
Changed debt to equity from 1.12 to 5.7!
Given the amount of money started with, that net worth is indicative of a person that has no idea how to make money. Just good at borrowing it.
Then, we found out about Deutsche Bank (at least $800 million), the we find out about the state Bank of China (at least $300 million), and his idiot kid admitted on TV that they've gotten funding from Russian banks.
His wealth appeared to be an illusion since the university days. (People really good at making money don't sell you their secrets. They just go do it. Why would they want extra competition?)
The revelations above made it clear he was not uber wealthy.
This cements it.