Russian President Vladimir Putin could potentially be the richest man in the world, according to reports.
International Business Times said on Wednesday that Putin could have as much as $200 billion stored away. Yet he remains absent from the official rich lists - most notably Forbes.
"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," Forbes said in 2015.
However, the mentioned that some people "cooperate" while others don't. Furthermore, that the magazine doesn't include "dictators who derive their fortunes entirely as a result of their position of power."
Forbes did not state whether that was the reason for excluding Putin from their list.
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Time Magazine reported last month that his net worth was nearer to $70 billion.
Bill Browder, author, and former fund manager in Russia, told CNN that he believes the $200 billion claim to be approximate.
"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 that money is in property, bank - Swiss bank accounts - shares, hedge funds, managed for Putin and his cronies," he revealed.
Browder believes Putin is richer than Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who Forbes ranked no. 1 with a wonga worth of $75 billion.
Bill Gates. Image: PA
Ex-Kremlin insiders have agreed with Browder's shout, but have not disclosed exact figures.
Russian businessman Sergei Pugachev, a former friend of Putin's, told the Guardian: "Everything that belongs to the territory of the Russian Federation Putin considers to be his. Everything - Gazprom, Rosneft, private companies. Any attempt to calculate it won't succeed... He's the richest person in the world until he leaves power."
While $200 billion would be admirable if true, it still wouldn't come close to Mansa Musa, officially the richest man to have ever lived.
As emperor of the Mali empire, Musa amassed a fortune of $400 billion by constructing educational centres and mosques across Africa. He lived from 1280 until 1337.
Close seconds include John D. Rockefeller, who notched up $340 million during his day, Andrew Carnegie who had $310 billion and Tsar Nicholas II, who left behind $300 billion in his trails.
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