The world's most reclusive tycoons: Even family members don't know they're billionaires

Daniel Ludwig

One of the richest people you've never heard of, Daniel Ludwig was born in Michigan in 1897 and made a fortune during the mid and late 20th century in the shipping industry and other industries. His empire led everything from the development of bullet trains in Japan to plantations in Panama.

Especially, Ludwig only consented to a single interview with Fortune journalist Dero Saunders in 1957. After that, the mysterious boss lived a reclusive life, always silent and avoiding all media.

By 1978, billionaire Ludwig was estimated to have a net worth of $9.9 billion (equivalent to $12 billion today),making him the richest man in America, yet he is virtually unknown in America.

The unknown billionaire lives in a large apartment in Midtown Manhattan, but even those closest to him don't know who he is. Ludwig died at home at the age of 95 in 1992. Forbes estimated his net worth at the time of his death at $1.2 billion, or $2.2 billion today.

Howard Hughes

American businessman "Hundred Takes Hughes" or Howard Hughes first became known as a film producer in the 1920s and 1930s, working on films such as Scarface (1932).

Hughes continues to make money as a real estate mogul, airline magnate, and philanthropic pioneer. During that time, he amassed a huge fortune, equivalent to $9 billion at today's exchange rates. He enjoys a lavish lifestyle and is a true playboy.

By the mid-1960s, however, the eccentric tycoon, who suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and chronic pain, had become increasingly reclusive. In fact, in the late 1960s, Hughes spent two years living in seclusion in a Las Vegas hotel suite with curtains closed all day.

From there, Hughes moved from hotel to hotel, where he watched the same movies over and over again and hardly anyone knew exactly where he was. Before his death in 1976, this genius businessman had become emaciated and disheveled with a long beard and fingernails, the image of an old layman.

Robert Mercer

The reclusive computer scientist and hedge fund owner Robert Mercer takes his privacy very seriously. Throughout his career, he often turned down interviews as well as the press. In fact, he is said to prefer cats over people.

Mercer, whose net worth is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, is a major investor in data mining company Cambridge Analytica. The company is said to have played a controversial role in the government election of former US President Donald Trump as well as the 2016 Brexit campaign when it delivered its services to Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) then.

Angela Bennett

Australian mining heiress Angela Bennett is so secretive that the Down Under press has nicknamed her the "night parrot". Bennett has only ever taken one press photo (she appeared at an event organized by her son in December 2016) and has a habit of hiding her face from the paparazzi.

Even the press went wild when she captured a photo of an empty staircase at her old home in Perth, Australia, which she sold for a record $39 million in 2009. According to Forbes, Bennett currently owns an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.

Philip Anschutz

Considered by many to be America's most reclusive billionaire, Philip Anschutz has spent the past five decades building a fortune that is coveted by many, including oil, real estate, telecommunications and

entertainment.

Anschutz also has a love for sports. He owns both the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and a third of the Lakers playing in the NBA.

He currently owns a net worth of 10.1 billion USD. Anschutz made money without fuss or fanfare. He likes to keep his privacy to himself. According to Fortune magazine, this billionaire is very shy and does not like to advertise himself. He has given only three official media interviews since 1979.

Perhaps this is what made Anschutz such a great philanthropist. He has had no problem naming his family to the many medical and educational institutions to which he has donated millions, demonstrating an inherently reserved personality.

Ingvar Kamprad

Born in a peaceful farming village in Sweden in 1926, Ingvar Kamprad went on to found the furniture company IKEA in 1943 thanks to a small loan from his father. Like shipping magnate Daniel Ludwig, Kamprad is known for his reclusiveness, not to mention his frugal lifestyle.

Despite having a huge net worth of $33 billion as of 2007, the IKEA founder encourages employees to save money by using both sides of an A4 sheet of paper, or even re-evaluate the employee if he or she leaves the light on when leaving the room.