Obituary

Sam Zell, Billionaire Real Estate Investor, Dies at 81

  • His Equity Group Investments focused on distressed assets
  • The leveraged buyout of Tribune Co. ended in its bankruptcy
Billionaire Sam Zell Dies at 81
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Sam Zell, the billionaire investor who called himself “the Grave Dancer” for his bets on distressed assets, including a losing wager that drove the Tribune Co. into bankruptcy, has died. He was 81.

He died today due to complications from a recent illness, according to a statementBloomberg Terminal from his company, Equity Group Investments, which called him “a self-made, visionary entrepreneur.”