Karl Albrecht

Germany's richest man, owns discount-supermarket giant Aldi Sud (estimated sales: $40 billion). Younger brother, Theo, also a billionaire, died in July 2010. After World War II brothers transformed mother's corner grocery store into Aldi. They split ownership in 1961; Karl took the more profitable stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe. Aldi has over 1,100 stores in the U.S. across 31 states; plans to open it's first in New York City in 2011. Retired from daily operations. Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf. The Albrecht family did not issue a statement on Karl's death. It has fiercely guarded its privacy since the kidnapping of Theo for 17 days in 1971. He was eventually released after a ransom of about $3 million was paid. When Berthold Albrecht, Theo's son, died aged 58 in 2012, the family announced the news weeks after the death with full-page spreads in German papers.