Gates still atop Forbes’ list of richest Americans

LOS ANGELES – The nation’s economic woes don’t appear to be hurting Bill Gates, who tops Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans for the 18th year in a row.

The magazine said Wednesday that the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist’s wealth amounts to $59 billion, ranking him ahead of all the other billionaires who make up this year’s list.

Gates’ fortune swelled by $5 billion from a year ago, Forbes said.

Forbes said the combined wealth of the 400 people on this year’s list is $1.5 trillion, with an average net worth of $3.8 billion. That amounts to a 12 percent increase from last year.

Some 262 people on the list saw their fortunes grow, while 72 saw a decline, the magazine said.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was the biggest dollar gainer on the list, with a net worth of $17.5 billion that earned him the No. 14 spot.

There were 42 women on the list, including media mogul Oprah Winfrey at No. 139, with a net worth of $2.7 billion.

The top 10 people on this year’s Forbes 400 list are:

• Bill Gates, $59 billion

• Warren Buffett, $39 billion

• Larry Ellison, $33 billion

• Charles Koch, $25 billion and David Koch, $25 billion (tie)

• Christy Walton & family, $24.5 billion

• George Soros, $22 billion

• Sheldon Adelson, $21.5 billion

• Jim Walton, $21.1 billion

• Alice Walton, $20.9 billion