Why Jeff Bezos got burnt on social media after Amazon donated US$690,000 towards Australia’s wildfire relief efforts – was it enough?
The world’s richest man makes US$2,489 per second, and has been criticised for what some say is a meagre donation from his company Amazon
Jeff Bezos is under fire after announcing that Amazon would donate US$690,000 to the Australian wildfire recovery. That’s less than what he makes in five minutes – and less than donations or pledges made earlier by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Earth Alliance organisation (US$3 million), actor Chris Hemsworth (US$1 million) and pop star Elton John (US$1 million).
Many on social media thought Bezos could have been more generous; others suggested that gratitude for the donation – regardless of its size – would be a more appropriate response.
Bezos is 20 per cent richer than the British monarchy. He retained his ranking as the world’s richest person following his 2019 divorce from MacKenzie Bezos. She kept a 4 per cent stake in Amazon worth roughly US$35.7 billion, making her the fourth-richest woman in the world.
Though Jeff Bezos’ annual salary is only US$81,840, most of his wealth comes from his Amazon shares. The world’s richest man makes US$2,489 per second, or more than twice what the median US worker makes in one week, according to Business Insider’s calculations last year.
Here are 11 mind-blowing facts that show how wealthy Bezos is.
1. Bezos is worth US$117 billion despite being paid an annual salary of US$81,840, less than what most US representatives take home
Of course, a large portion of Bezos’ wealth is tied to Amazon stock, not his salary.