Sheila Johnson
Source of wealth: Cable TV, hotels
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The scale of their wealth
Health
The price of life
Let's compare Sheila Johnson's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country
Sheila Johnson could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 0.5 years.
But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country
On the other end, Sheila Johnson could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 0.2 years.
Education
Buying the future
Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country
Sheila Johnson could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 0.4 years.
And yes, we can also compare it with a rich country
But they couldn't just cover the cost of a poor country; Luxembourg is considered the country with the highest per capita investment in education in the world, and Sheila Johnson could pay for it entirely for 0.5 years.
Research
The monopoly on progress
Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country
Sheila Johnson could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 2.0 years.
And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide
But even if we compare the total wealth of Sheila Johnson with Israel, the country that invests the most per capita in research in the world, they could cover the total cost of the system for 0.0 years.
Gold
Everyday luxuries
Sheila Johnson's fortune is equivalent to 8 tons of gold. It's hard to process, since we don't usually keep a handful of gold bars in our piggy banks.
A standard gold ring usually weighs between 4 and 7 grams. Let's say this one weighs 5 grams. It's usually 18 karats.
Based on today's gold price (excluding the jeweler's commission, shipping, or anything else), that ring would be worth $546.86.
Sheila Johnson could buy 2,216,274 gold rings. That's a lot of fingers and way too many gifts!!
And if you're struggling to visualize that many rings, it would take 0 trucks to transport them. Although Sheila Johnson will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.
Biography
Sheila Johnson cofounded cable TV channel Black Entertainment Television in 1979 with her then-husband Robert Johnson. Viacom bought it for $3 billion in 2001.
After her divorce in 2002, she sold her BET shares and has since invested in a portfolio of hotels known as the Salamander Collection, as well as other real estate and horses.
Her Innisbrook resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, hosts an annual PGA Tour championship.
She was an executive producer of the critically-acclaimed 2013 film The Butler, which tells the story of a former slave turned White House employee.
Through her investment in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, she owns stakes in three Washington sports teams: the WNBA's Mystics, NBA's Wizards and NHL's Capitals.
Financial Assets
Financial assets information not available.
Monthly wealth history
Fortune comparison
Historical data not available for comparison