#3 Warren Edward Buffett - $47 billion

Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is a wealthy American investor and businessman. Nicknamed the "Oracle of Omaha", Buffett has amassed an enormous fortune from astute investments, particularly through his company Berkshire Hathaway, in which he holds a greater than 31% stake. With an estimated current net worth of $62 billion, he is ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world, replacing Microsoft chairman Bill Gates from his top spot after 13 years.

After receiving the only A+ Benjamin Graham ever handed out to his security analysis class, Buffett wanted to work at Graham-Newman but was turned down. He went to work at his father's brokerage as a salesman. A stock he pushed was GEICO.

Buffett picked GEICO after noticing Graham was a director and had a large position in it. Never one to buy a stock on a whim, Buffett visited GEICO's head office on a weekend to investigate further.

He knocked until someone opened the door, he was led to the future president of GEICO. Buffett introduced himself as Graham's student and was given a crash course on the insurance business and what gave GEICO an enduring advantage over their competitors. Buffett was exposed to the economics of selling direct, the wonderful float GEICO produces, its low combined ratio and the likes.

Like many who can afford to do so, Warren Buffett doesn’t mind pursuing new acquisitions when the economy is tanking. His latest was a joint effort with Mars for a $23 billion buy of Wrigley. Still, you might get the impression that he’s not in all this for the same reasons as others. This is the man who appeared before Congress last fall and warned of the rise of “dynastic wealth,” stressing the importance of the estate tax. Buffett also earmarked $31 billion for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Only the richest men of all time can donate billions.