When you’re one of the richest people on the planet, you’ll need to take action to protect yourself, but do all billionaires have bodyguards?
Anybody with a lot of money invests a considerable amount of it in security, and more specifically, in a security detail. The billionaires of the world are rarely seen at public engagements without some kind of bodyguard or security team close to hand, and for very good reason.
Read on to learn more about the lengths billionaires go to to protect themselves and those close to them.
I’d Take A Bullet For You
The concept of a bodyguard or close security detail is at least tens of thousands of years old. Since humans have gained the ability to stand out among one another or to gather wealth, or power, they’ve needed protection.
In Ancient Egypt, the Pharoah’s closest bodyguards and protectors were called Medjay. They were elite warriors, tasked with guarding the leaders of Egypt with their own lives, a job which they took extremely seriously.
There were entire legions of guards made available to protect emperors throughout the rule of the Roman Empire. These were known as Praetorians, and they were some of the most well-drilled and effective soldiers in history.
Today, the industry of bodyguards tends to be made up of ex-military members, often elite soldiers from forces like the SAS, or the U.S. Navy Seals. They’ll have retired from active service and opted to work in security, protecting the super-wealthy, or the incredibly famous from all manner of threats.
These days, it’s a little more than just standing in front of the person you’re protecting, and keeping them safe from harm. In the modern age, bodyguards and security details need to be aware of cyber and remote threats, explosive and chemical attacks, and long-distance assassination attempts.
If you’ve acquired billions of dollars from whatever it is you do in life, you’re almost certainly going to want extremely effective security. This can range from a secure home to CCTV systems, and from armed guards to armored vehicles.
At the height of the security spectrum, there are some billionaires who have more close protection than the President of the United States. They need to be protected twenty-four hours a day from the risks of kidnap, robbery, and assassination.
We Are The Elite
There are a considerable number of billionaires in the world today, but several individuals are more prolific than the majority. These include the likes of Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates.
Coincidentally, every name on that list has made their fortune in technology or computing, as have so many others around the world. They’re also all bonded by another fact: they spend exorbitant amounts of money on security.
Reportedly, Jeff Bezos, the richest of the bunch, spends millions of dollars every year keeping himself and his family safe. He has a personal security detail that protects him at events, but he also has lots of physical security, such as camera systems and a well-protected home.
It’s alleged that he has bulletproof panels installed around his office that protect him from any would-be assassination attempts. Industry experts have claimed that these panels cost as much as $180,000 to install.
In an interview with Capital Ideas, one bodyguard, Dmitry Fonarev, reveals how he protected many billionaires during his time as a security agent. At one point, he was tasked with overseeing the security detail for Microsoft founder and billionaire, Bill Gates.
He explains that Gates almost demanded the best and most professional security team available when he visited Moscow. These services were loyally provided by Fonarev, who allegedly became friends with Gates during the time he protected him.
From 2012 to 2017, it’s alleged that Mark Zuckerberg’s security spends increased by five hundred percent. This was likely due to Zuckerberg’s increasingly negative coverage in the world’s press.
In many cases, Zuckerberg’s included, corporations and the boards that run them will order their CEO, founder, or owner to travel with a security team. There will often be dedicated departments that focus on the physical and digital security aspects of a company that oversees these arrangements.
It would be considered foolish for any celebrity, let alone a billionaire, to venture into the great outdoors without a bodyguard. There are all too many individuals that would be bent on doing you some kind of harm.
You just need to trust that when the time comes, the person you’re paying thousands of dollars to protect you is willing to stand between you and potential harm.