The Richest in Real Estate Top 100
The Basics
Location: New York City | Net Worth: $1.01 B
Location: New York City | Net Worth: $1.01 B

The son of a sewing supply salesman, Leon Charney started out with only $34 to his name. Paying his way through Brooklyn Law School by singing in synagogues, Leon became a top-tier entertainment lawyer, representing the likes of Sammy Davis Jr.
Leon soon built his practice out further working with oil partnerships and maximizing their tax benefits. Probably his most historically significant accomplishment, however, is advising then-President Jimmy Carter in brokering the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel in 1978.
In 1980, on the very night Carter lost the re-election, Leon bought his first property: One Times Square. He’s since spread his name across three skyscrapers in the Square, owning 1.2M SF of commercial space.