NEW YORK (AP) — The world’s richest person got even richer in the past year. And a basketball superstar-turned-owner has made the list of billionaires for the first time.
Forbes magazine said yesterday that Bill Gates’ net worth had risen to $79.2 billion as of Feb. 13, from $76 billion a year earlier. That puts him at the top of the magazine’s list of the world’s billionaires for the second consecutive year. The co-founder of Microsoft Corp. has topped the list for 16 of the last 21 years.
In second place is Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu, with a net worth of $77.1 billion. He had topped the list in 2013.
Next is investor Warren Buffett, who moved up one slot this year with a net worth of $72.7 billion. In fourth place is Amancio Ortega, the Spanish co-founder of clothing retail chain Zara, with a net worth of $64.5 billion. Rounding out the top five is Larry Ellison, founder of technology company Oracle Corp., with $54.3 billion.
Forbes said 1,826 billionaires are on its list this year, up from 1,645 in 2014. They were worth a combined $7.05 trillion, up from $6.4 trillion last year.
Most of those on the list are men. But 197 are women, up from 172 a year ago. The highest-ranking woman is Christy Walton.
The world’s youngest billionaire is 24-year-old Evan Spiegel, the CEO and co-founder of mobile messaging company Snapchat, with a net worth of $1.5 billion. Snapchat’s other co-founder, 25-year-old Bobby Murphy, has the same net worth as Spiegel.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan joined the list for the first time, thanks to his ownership in the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA and payouts from his Nike brand. Jordan had a net worth of $1 billion, the magazine said.

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