So, you’re sitting there, sipping your coffee, and a burning question hits you: who is the absolute richest person in the state of Ohio? Not the richest in your neighborhood, not the guy with the nicest lawn mower—but the overlord of the Buckeye State bank accounts. Grab your compass, because we’re about to journey into a world of private jets, mega-mansions, and cornfield money that smells surprisingly like jet fuel.
Meet the King of the Ohio Money Castle
That title belongs to Leslie “Les” Wexner. Yes, the same guy who brought you Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and that weird feeling you get when you walk into a mall and smell cinnamon. As of 2024, Forbes pegs his net worth at around $4.4 billion. That’s enough money to buy every single buckeye nut in the state—and have enough left over to pay someone to iron them.
But wait—didn’t Wexner have some, uh, complicated history with a certain disgraced financier? Oh, you bet your overpriced candle he did. Les is the man who famously got tangled up with Jeffrey Epstein back in the day, a relationship that cost him a lot of reputation and probably a few sleepless nights. Still, his wallet remains phat—like, Rhode Island-level phat.
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Who’s Chasing Him?
If Wexner trips on his golden shoelaces, the next in line is Dan Gilbert, the Quicken Loans founder and Cavaliers owner. He’s worth about $2.4 billion, but he’s spending like he’s trying to buy the entire city of Detroit (and Cleveland, just for fun). Gilbert’s got a thing for downtown revitalization, which is fancy for “I build skyscrapers where you used to buy discount socks.”
Then there’s John A. Sobrato—yes, a California guy who somehow snuck into Ohio’s ranks via real estate. But that’s like claiming you’re the best barbecue chef in Texas because you once visited Austin. We’ll stick with actual Ohioans, thank you very much.
Three Ohio billionaires named among Forbes 400 Richest People in America
Wait—Is It Still 1985?
You might be shocked to learn that Les Wexner also helped invent the modern shopping mall. That’s right: the long, carpeted hallways where you lose your children and your will to live? Partially his fault. He founded Limited Brands in 1963, and by the eighties, he was basically the emperor of retail. His house? It’s a 30,000-square-foot estate in New Albany, Ohio, which is basically a small airport with a kitchen.
Fun fact: Wexner’s net worth once hit $10 billion in the late 1990s. Then the internet happened, and his mall empire took a hit. But like a cockroach made of gold, he survived. Today, he’s still worth more than all the corn in Ohio combined—and that’s a lot of corn, folks.
Who is the wealthiest person in Ohio? Forbes 400 list
The Real Twist
Here’s the kicker: you’ve probably never heard of the second-richest Ohioan. It’s not a sports star or a YouTuber. It’s James Trueman, a real-estate mogul who made his fortune in shopping centers and self-storage units. Yes, self-storage. That means your old Christmas decorations are paying for his yacht. Is that ironic? I’m not sure, but it’s certainly humiliating.
And what about LeBron James? He’s worth about $1 billion, which is nothing to sneeze at—unless you’re Les Wexner, who sneezes billion-dollar bills. LeBron is rich, sure, but he’s not “buy the state of Ohio” rich. He’s more like “buy a medium-sized island” rich.
These Ohio Billionaires Are Among Richest In U.S.: Forbes | Cleveland
What Does Actually All This Money Look Like?
If you piled Les Wexner’s cash into a swimming pool, you wouldn’t have a swimming pool—you’d have a golden lake large enough to drown a humpback whale. He’s also the guy who gave $100 million to Ohio State University. For perspective: that’s like you throwing a quarter into a fountain, except instead of a fountain, it’s a massive institution of higher learning, and instead of a quarter, it’s your entire life savings times 10,000.
But here’s the real surprise: Wexner doesn’t even crack the top 50 on the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans. Ohio’s richest person is a regional superstar, like a really popular burger joint that only exists in three states. It’s fun, but nobody in California is crying about it.
Ohio's Richest Person Has A Net Worth of $6 Billion
So, What’s the Takeaway?
If you live in Ohio, your richest neighbor is a retail wizard with a complicated past and a house that could double as a theme park. The rest of us? We’re just here, Googling “how to afford a second pair of jeans.” But hey, at least Ohio’s wealthiest champion didn’t make his fortune from, say, pet rocks.
Still, the next time you’re stuck in traffic near Easton Town Center—which Wexner’s empire also built—just remember: you’re breathing the same air as a billionaire. And that air smells faintly of vanilla-scented hand soap and regret.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go buy a scratch-off ticket. A really expensive one.