Skip to content

Subscriber Only

A Billionaire Vanished for 400 Days and His Empire Boomed

Mohammed Al Amoudi held in Saudi Arabia on corruption charges
His fortune has risen to $8.3 billion as businesses flourish

The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. — The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.
Photographer: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images

By

Devon Pendleton and

December 13, 2018, 3:40 PM UTCUpdated onDecember 13, 2018, 5:36 PM UTC

More than a year ago, he vanished into the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, along with dozens of Saudi princes and businessmen.

Before long, rumors swirled: Was the billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi even alive?