Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson makes her first appearance on a list her late husband was frequently mentioned on: Forbes magazine's list of America's 400 wealthiest people.
The list, released Wednesday, puts Gayle Benson's net worth at $2.8 billion. She ranks 298 on Forbes list of 400 billionaires - one spot below where her husband Tom appeared on last year's list. Benson became majority owner of the NFL and NBA teams after her husband's death in March.
"She is now the owner of both teams, despite a multi-year dispute with Tom's daughter and grandchildren over control of family assets," Forbes mentions in Benson's bio.
The magazine also names Benson, 71, the richest person in Louisiana. She is "tied" on the Forbes list with Oprah Winfrey, whose net worth is also listed at $2.8 billion.
Forbes does not give Benson a score on its new philanthropy score, designed to measure billionaires' generosity, though she and her late husband are known for donating millions to local schools, charities, health care and other institutions through their charitable foundation.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and chief executive, is number one on Forbes' list for the first time. This marks the first time since 1994 that Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates is not the richest American. Bezos’ net worth is listed at $160 billion.
