• Jeff Bezos sold one of his several Washington properties after moving to Miami in 2023.
• He snapped up three mansions on Indian Creek Island, leaving behind eight properties in Washington.
• He closed the reported deal for $63 million on a Hunts Point estate.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has amassed a real estate portfolio that rivals some of America's biggest property owners. He's the 23rd-largest landowner in the US, according to the 2025 Land Report, with at least 420,000 acres to his name.

Bezos' Seattle-area real estate empire, which was worth as much as $190 million in 2023 based on Zillow estimates, is getting smaller. Almost two years after moving south, Bezos sold one of his several Seattle properties for a big profit.

He sold his 9,420-square-foot home in Hunts Point, Washington, for a record $63 million, Puget Sound Business Journal reported in April. The estate was acquired by Cayan Investments LLC, Business Insider confirmed Thursday.

His collection also includes three properties in Indian Creek Village, an island off the coast of Miami, where he announced in 2023 he'd be relocating with his fiancée Lauren Sánchez.

Bezos, worth $211 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, purchased several properties with his former wife MacKenzie Scott. Their divorce was finalized in 2019, and it's unclear which of these properties Bezos still owns, as divorce records were not made public.

From two neighboring Beverly Hills mansions to multiple estates in exclusive Seattle suburbs, here are Bezos' residential properties in the US.

Caroline Cakebread, Katie Warren, Dominic-Madori Davis, and Libertina Brandt contributed to an earlier version of this article.

Jeff Bezos has spent millions of dollars amassing a collection of residential properties over the years.

A 2025 Land Report named Bezos the country's 23rd-largest landowner, with 420,000 acres to his name.

Over the years, he's picked up several New York City apartments, a ranch in Texas, and homes in Washington state, California, and Washington, DC.

 

For years, Bezos' home base was a nearly 24,000-square-foot estate in Medina, Washington.

In 1998, Bezos paid $10 million for a 5.3-acre property in the wealthy suburb on the shores of Lake Washington.

Twelve years later, in 2010, he spent $45 million on an estate nextdoor, the Puget Sound Business Journal reported.

One home is a 20,600-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom house with a basement spanning over 5,000-square-feet and five fireplaces. The other is an 8,300-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom home built in 1940.

The Wall Street Journal reported that he purchased the property next door in 2010 under Aspen Ventures LLC. That lot has a 24,000-square-foot Tudor-style, six-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion, which was listed for $53 million. 

Finally, in 2015, he purchased a $3.9 million property across the street from the Medina compound, Business Insider previously reported. The comparatively smaller property was purchased through a trust managed by the same law firm, and with the same property tax address, as the other Medina properties Bezos and Scott purchased before their divorce.

Medina is an exclusive suburb that is home to Bill Gates, Microsoft bigwigs, tech entrepreneurs, and telecom magnates.

Many of the neighborhood's mansions are hidden away behind gates and protected by elaborate security systems.

Bezos' first big New York purchases were three apartments, which he bought for $7.65 million on Central Park West in Manhattan.

The three units in The Century building on Manhattan's Upper West Side were purchased in 1999 from the former Sony Music head Tommy Mottola, The Observer reported at the time. 

More than a decade later, in 2012, Bezos bought an additional unit in the building, valued at $5.3 million in 2012, making him the owner of four condos in the building.

The Art Deco building was built in the 1930s, boasts a concierge, elevator attendants, and three separate entrances.

His next big buy was a massive ranch near the town of Van Horn, Texas.

In 2004, Bezos purchased Corn Ranch, a 165,000-acre stretch of land outside Van Horn, Texas.

He told the local paper he bought the property so his family would get the chance to live on a ranch like he did when he visited his grandfather as a child. The land is also the most productive launch site for his aerospace company Blue Origin.

Three years after buying The Washington Post in 2013, Bezos bought a former textile museum in DC's Kalorama.

He spent $23 million on the property, which dates back to 1912 and has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, The Washington Post reported.

The neighborhood is a hot spot for Washington bigwigs.

The Obamas purchased an $8.1 million property nearby in 2017, which marked the second-most expensive transaction in the neighborhood, after Bezos' — The Washington Post reported.

The two joint structures on Bezos' property have nearly 27,000 square feet of living space, making it the largest home in Washington, DC.

It's been reported that Bezos may have also purchased the home across the street in January 2020 for $5 million, though BI could not confirm he owns the property.

In the months following his 2019 divorce, Bezos spent $45 million on four properties in other exclusive Seattle enclaves.

The largest property of the 2019 spending spree was a $37.5 million waterfront estate in Hunts Point, an exclusive neighborhood with fewer than 400 residents. The home has 300 feet of coastline, a rooftop deck with a fireplace, and a glass bridge connecting to a two-story guesthouse.

He purchased two more modest homes in Hunts Point around the same time, which his neighbors said are used for security and other staff, including a chef.

When he offloaded the $37.5 million estate in April, he got $25 million more than he purchased it for in 2019, Puget Sound Business Journal reported.

Around the same time, he purchased a home nearby in Yarrow Point.

He also purchased a staff home in the nearby Yarrow Point. The home sold for $4.2 million in January 2024, according to its listing on Compass.

Two months after Bezos and MacKenzie Scott finalized their divorce, he reportedly dropped about $80 million on three New York City apartments.

In 2019, he dropped about $80 million on three adjacent New York City apartments in the priciest-ever real-estate deal south of Manhattan's 42nd Street.

The spread included a three-story penthouse and two units directly below it.  It was the priciest real estate deal south of Manhattan's 42nd Street, appraiser Jonathan Miller told The Wall Street Journal at the time.

Renderings of the inside of the apartment from the creative agency VisualHouse show the opulence of the penthouse.

Bezos has since purchased two more units inside the prewar building. In 2020, he spent $16 million on an additional unit, and purchased a $23 million apartment in the building in 2021.

The purchases brought his grand total to $119 million of real estate in the one building, which has a fitness center, golf simulator, game room, and movie-screening room, according to the property's website.

 

Bezos also owns property in Beverly Hills, California, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

He first bought property in the cushy neighborhood in 2007, shelling out $24.45 million for a mansion that had tennis courts, a guesthouse, a six-car garage, and a pool, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. In 2017, he bought the house next door for $12.9 million.

In 2022, Scott donated the two mansions to a housing charity.

 

After his divorce, he broke California records when he purchased the Warner Estate in 2020.

Bezos purchased the nine-acre Warner Estate in Beverly Hills for $165 million from billionaire David Geffen.

The estate was designed for Jack Warner — the former president of Warner Bros. Studios — in the 1930s. 

The most expensive home sale in California's history at the time, Bezos purchased the house for $165 million from David Geffen, who bought it in 1990 for $47.5 million. The mansion has guest homes, a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a nine-hole golf course.

Like many of his other homes, privacy is key at the Warner Estate. Hedges surround the nine acres on which the 13,600-square-foot home sits.

In 2021, Bezos and his now-fiancée Lauren Sánchez bought a home in Hawaii.

Bezos paid about $78 million for the Maui home, according to The New York Times.

In the weeks leading up to the purchase, Bezos made several donations to local organizations — including Hawaii Land Trust and Mālama Family Recovery Center, local news site Maui Now reported.

Sánchez announced that she and Bezos would donate $100 million to help Maui after neighborhoods on the island were devastated by fires.

"Jeff and I are heartbroken by what's happening in Maui. We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated," Sánchez wrote on Instagram. 

Their notable island neighbors include fellow billionaires Oprah Winfrey, Paul Thiel, and Oracle executive Larry Ellison, according to the Times.

Bezos purchased a home in Indian Creek in 2023, another billionaire hotspot.

In August 2023, he added a $68 million mansion on Miami's "billionaire bunker" island, Indian Creek Village, to his portfolio. 

The home reportedly spans 9,300 square feet, and the entire property is about 2.8 acres. The exclusive island has been home to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Tom Brady, and billionaire investor Carl Icahn.

While announcing his relocation, Bezos said that he wanted to be closer to his parents and space company Blue Origin's operations in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

He reportedly also snapped up the home next door.

Bezos bought the seven-bedroom Indian Creek mansion for $79 million in October, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.

The nearly two-acre mansion was built in 2000 and boasts features like a home theater, library, pool, and wine cellar.

But he wasn't done yet with his Indian Creek shopping spree. People representing Bezos reportedly contacted at least three other island homeowners to discuss purchasing their properties, Bloomberg reported in early January.

Bezos snapped up a third mansion on Indian Creek for $90 million

In April 2024, Bezos made his third purchase on the island known as the "billionaire bunker," Bloomberg reported. He paid $90 million for the six-bedroom home in an off-market transaction.

The house last sold for $2.5 million in 1998, according to the outlet, which noted that Bezos plans to live there while tearing down the other two properties he'd purchased on the island.

Indian Creek, located on Biscayne Bay and home to fewer than 100 residents, has its own mayor and police force, and is accessible only via a gated bridge.

• Trump said Jeff Bezos "immediately" agreed to remove the price of tariffs from Amazon product listings.
• He said he called Bezos up to talk about the issue, adding that Bezos was a "very nice guy."
• The White House last week called Amazon's plan to display tariff charges "hostile and political."

President Donald Trump said he called Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, who immediately agreed not to display tariff costs next to product prices after they spoke.

In an interview with NBC News' Meet the Press, which aired Sunday, host Kristen Welker asked the president about his call with Bezos.

This was shortly after media outlet Punchbowl News said in a Tuesday report that Amazon would soon start displaying tariff charges beside the product's price, a claim Amazon denied.

"He's just a very nice guy, we have a relationship. I asked him about it," Trump told Welker. "He said, 'Well, I don't want to do that,' and he took it off immediately."

Amazon and a representative for Bezos didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from BI about Trump's call with Bezos. In a statement last week, Amazon said one of its teams considered listing import charges on certain products, but that idea hadn't been approved and wasn't going to happen.

Welker asked if Trump would "take that same tactic with other CEOs."

"I'll always call people if I disagree with them," Trump replied.

Welker also asked Trump if he was punishing CEOs who passed tariff costs to consumers.

He said, "I want them to build plants in the United States. That way, they don't have any tariffs."

The White House slammed the retailer on Tuesday over the reported plan to display tariff charges. In a press conference, the White House's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called it a "hostile and political act."

In the first 100 days of Trump's second term, some of the richest people in the US have taken massive hits to their net worths.

Bezos's net worth has plunged by over $30 billion since January. On January 20, it was $245 billion, but as of May 5, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, it had dropped to $212 billion.

This comes as the e-commerce giant is reeling from the impact of the tariffs.

Trump imposed a baseline 10% tariff on imports from all countries except China. His tariff rate for China now stands at 145%.

On Thursday, Amazon reported that it had taken a $1 billion hit in one-time charges in its latest quarter, linked to tariffs and customer returns.

Since Trump's tariffs have gone into effect, there have also been price hikes on some of its most popular items, including home appliances, snacks, and clothing.

Despite criticism of his tariff policies, Trump has held fast. In a Truth Social post on Easter, the president said businesspeople who have criticized his tariffs are bad at both business and politics.

"THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND OR REALIZE THAT I AM THE GREATEST FRIEND THAT AMERICAN CAPITALISM HAS EVER HAD!" Trump wrote.

Representatives for Trump did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Jeff Bezos plans to sell up to 25 million Amazon shares by May 2026.
• The sale would be worth about $4.75 billion at Thursday's closing price.
• Bezos has done several other major sell-offs recently, including 50 million shares in February 2024.

Over the next year, Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, plans to sell a chunk of his Amazon shares worth billions.

The Amazon executive chair and Blue Origin founder is set to offload up to 25 million shares of his stock in the e-commerce giant over a period ending in May 2026, as part of a trading plan he adopted in March, a Friday regulatory filing said.

The shares were worth about $4.75 billion at their closing price of $189.82 on Thursday.

This is Bezos' latest in a string of major Amazon stock sell-offs over the past year. He stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021.

In July, Bezos filed a plan to sell 25 million shares, worth about $5 billion at the time, after Amazon's stock hit a record high. And in February 2024, Bezos sold off 50 million Amazon shares, worth about $8.5 billion. The billionaire also sold off a few smaller chunks of stock in May 2024, totaling 1.1 million shares at a value of about $117 million.

Even at a combined total of about 100 million shares, the string of sales amounts to just a fraction of Bezos' stock. As of November, he had over 926 million of the company's shares, or just under 9% of Amazon's total stock.

Bezos has previously said he sells off Amazon stock to fund Blue Origin, his space venture.

The disclosure came the day after Amazon's latest earnings call. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said on the call that he was optimistic the company could keep prices down amid tariff turmoil but that it was still figuring out "where they're going to settle and when they're going to settle."

Bezos did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Amazon declined to comment.

• Despite deep cost cuts elsewhere, Amazon is still spending heavily on Project Kuiper satellites.
• SpaceX's Starlink offers a blueprint for Kuiper's financial potential.
• Amazon may also want strategic independence from Elon Musk.

When Andy Jassy went on a post-COVID cost-cutting spree, eliminating roughly 27,000 employees, I thought most of Amazon's risky moonshot projects would also get the chop.

So when Jassy didn't cut Project Kuiper, a bold plan to launch a constellation of internet-beaming satellites, I scratched my head. Of all Amazon's moonshots, this may be the most expensive. If the CEO wanted to quickly slash costs, nixing Kuiper would have been the play.

Instead, Kuiper survived the purge — while others, like an AR headset for business meetings, were cut — and Amazon plowed ahead.

That decision underscores two key drivers: massive profit potential and a desire for strategic independence from Elon Musk.

The lure of Starlink-size profit

If there's any blueprint for Kuiper's financial upside, it's Starlink. SpaceX's satellite internet venture has rocketed ahead in recent years.

The Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney recently shared estimates of Starlink's financials, citing Chris Quilty, an expert from the satellite and space industry. These are pretty mind-blowing numbers, especially for a service that was ridiculed as impractical and expensive when Musk announced it a decade ago:

• $12.3 billion in projected revenue for the 2025 fiscal year, up 57% from a year earlier.
• 7.6 million subscriptions, an increase of 3 million subs from 2024.
• $7.5 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, a common measure of profitability.
• 61% EBITDA margin.
• And for those who dislike accounting gymnastics: $2 billion of free cash flow.
• Quilty also forecast that at maturity, Starlink could reach 80% EBITDA margins.

"This suggests Kuiper could be a highly attractive business for Amazon at scale," Mahaney wrote in a recent note to investors.

Recent investment rounds valued SpaceX at about $350 billion.

Amazon has thin margins in its core e-commerce business, so Kuiper could be a way to diversify into a more lucrative field. Mahaney noted that Kuiper is going after a $1 trillion total addressable market in terrestrial telecom and broadband services. Given that Amazon typically competes in ultra-low-margin sectors like e-commerce, the prospect of an 80%-margin business is probably too good to ignore.

If that's not enough of an incentive, here's another: There's only so much satellite communication spectrum up in space, especially in the low-earth-orbit areas where Starlink dominates. Because of this, Quilty reckons Kuiper not only is the closest challenger to Starlink — but also will likely be the only significant competitor.

Despite delays, Kuiper's launch of 27 satellites this week is a tangible step toward monetization. Amazon has also announced plans to sell Kuiper terminals for under $400, aiming for tens of millions of units, and is working toward a commercial service.

A need for autonomy

Beyond these tantalizing profits, I think there's another strategic motive driving Amazon's satellite ambitions: It doesn't want to depend on Musk.

Starlink's ability to beam internet service around the world, combined with SpaceX's unmatched launch capability, has made this company a potent geopolitical tool.  

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Starlink service to this war-torn area became so strategically important that the Pentagon had to negotiate directly with Musk to maintain internet communications there. 

This is the type of power that catches the attention of Big Tech companies that rely on the internet to reach customers. I can imagine the prospect of going through Elon to reach users might make most tech CEOs queasy.

Reliable and strong internet access is especially important for Amazon. The company's cloud business, Amazon Web Services, is the backbone of its profits, and it controls a growing share of global digital infrastructure. Relying on Starlink for some broadband access could be a major risk. The same Starlink terminals that provide residential internet also serve military and enterprise customers, including some that Amazon might wish to court.

Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, has been clear on this. While acknowledging Starlink's success, he has emphasized that demand for internet access is insatiable and leaves room for multiple winners. But underneath the diplomacy is a business logic that's impossible to ignore: Amazon needs its own highway to the cloud. Kuiper offers that.

Moreover, by owning the infrastructure from space to server, Amazon can better control quality, pricing, and reach — especially in areas where terrestrial internet is unreliable. It also reduces geopolitical and commercial dependencies on third-party providers that might not share Amazon's priorities.

Project Kuiper is far from a vanity play. It's a strategic moonshot aimed squarely at two objectives: unlocking a high-margin business with billion-dollar upside and insulating Amazon from dependence on an unpredictable rival.

As Starlink proves the model and Amazon begins scaling Kuiper's constellation, this once head-scratching bet is starting to look like a savvy move.

• Several tech billionaires attended or donated to Trump's inauguration in January.
• Four of the richest have lost a collective $194 billion in wealth since Trump took office.
• Tech leaders who attend Trump's inauguration have also seen declines in their company's share price.

It's been almost 100 days since President Donald Trump was sworn into office with some of the biggest names in tech near his side.

Several tech billionaires cozied up to Trump ahead of his second term in part by attending the inauguration and donating to the inaugural fund. The appearance of a joint front stood in contrast to years of Trump criticizing Big Tech and calling out some tech leaders directly.

A lot has changed since Inauguration Day. Tech leaders who supported Trump have seen both their net worths and the stock value of the companies they lead decline, as the administration's tariff-fueled trade war has coincided with a disruption in financial markets worldwide.

Four of the richest tech billionaires who attended the inauguration or donated to it — Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang — have lost a collective $193.6 billion since January 20, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Here's how much each tech billionaire has lost, according to Bloomberg's net worth estimates as of market close on Monday.

Elon Musk

Net worth on January 20: $449 billion

Net worth on April 28: $335 billion

Loss: $114 billion

Musk, the tech billionaire who's gotten closer to Trump more than any other as an advisor, has seen the greatest decline in wealth, though he remains the world's richest person.

Musk's work with the White House DOGE office led to swift backlash and a wave of protests against Tesla. The electric-vehicle maker has been struggling, with its stock price down nearly 25% this year.

After Tesla reported lackluster quarterly earnings last week, Musk announced he would be stepping back from DOGE in May, spending just one or two days a week on government matters. He has consistently defended his work with the White House to eliminate waste and fraud in government.

Jeff Bezos

Net worth on January 20: $245 billion

Net worth on April 28: $209 billion

Loss: $36 billion

Bezos's wealth, most of which is tied to stock in Amazon, the company he founded, has declined sharply since February.

Analysts have said Amazon is especially at risk of being negatively impacted by Trump's trade war, including the 145% tariff on China, due to the number of products sold on the site, either directly or through third-parties, that come from the country.

Some Amazon sellers have been raising prices on goods like appliances, snacks, and electronics, though the company has said it represents a small fraction of the total amount of goods sold on the site.

Mark Zuckerberg

Net worth on January 20: $217 billion

Net worth on April 28: $195 billion

Loss: $22 billion

Zuckerberg may have had the worst relationship with Trump compared to any other tech billionaire prior to the election. Trump had repeatedly lashed out against the Meta CEO on Truth Social and suggested he should be investigated or jailed after Facebook temporarily banned Trump's account following the January 6 Capitol riot.

Meta, the primary source of Zuckerberg's wealth, has been fighting an anti-trust lawsuit brought by the government that has not gone away under Trump. Zuckerberg earlier this month sat for three days of testimony after the antitrust trial opened.

The Meta CEO testified for more than 10 hours and was grilled by the FTC's lead attorney.

Jensen Huang

Net worth on January 20: $117 billion

Net worth on April 28: $95.4 billion

Loss: $21.6 billion

While Huang did not attend the inauguration, Nvidia donated $1 million to the inaugural fund�. Huang's wealth, a majority of which is tied to Nvidia stock, has also dropped since January, when he attended the inauguration.

Nvidia stock has fallen over 21% year to date, with the company facing several setbacks that include Trump's tariffs, as the company sources a majority of its chips from overseas, primarily Taiwan.

The company also said earlier this month it expected to take a $5.5 billion hit on its first-quarter earnings as a result of the Trump administration's restrictions on its chip exports to China.

Tech leaders also saw stock declines for the companies they lead

Other tech leaders who attended the inauguration saw declines in the stock prices of the companies they lead, including Tim Cook of Apple and Sundar Pichai of Google.

Though some estimates suggest the CEOs are billionaires, they are not on Bloomberg's list of the top 500 richest people, so the change in their estimated net worth since the inauguration was not publicly available.

But Apple's share price has fallen nearly 14% this year, while the share price of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has fallen nearly 15% year over year.

• Slate Auto is a new Michigan-based EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos.
• Slate's first US-made EV pickup will start at $25,000, the company says.
• CEO Chris Barman, a former FCA executive, wants to help make cars more affordable for Americans.

With the average cost of a new car edging toward the $50,000 mark, affordable, basic transportation is becoming increasingly difficult for many Americans.

Slate, a new EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, believes its new $25,000 pickup truck, which could cost less than $20,000 with tax credits, could help change that, its CEO, Chris Barman, told Business Insider.

"There's a massive population of people out there when it comes to safe, reliable, affordable transportation; there just really aren't many alternatives for them," Barman told us in an interview ahead of the unveiling of the new EV this week.

A $25,000 price point would mean achieving something the current EV sales king, Tesla, has been unable to do. Elon Musk has long teased consumers with the prospect of a $25,000 Tesla model, but there's no firm timeline for its release.

Slate's truck could be a cure for the EV affordability problem

The average price of an EV in the US is $59,000. Electric pickups are even more expensive, with prices exceeding $100,000 on models like the Ford F150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Tesla Cybertruck.

The Slate Truck, which comes standard with 150 miles of range, is expected to be the cheapest new electric vehicle and pickup truck in the US, staking out a spot in the market no truck — electric or otherwise — has been able to.

According to Barman, the focus on simplicity and affordability drew her to Slate.

"I grew up on a farm. My first car was a 1984 Ford Ranger pickup, with a five-speed manual, manual windows, and no air conditioning," Barman said. "It was basic transportation, but I loved the freedom it gave me to go places and do things."

Barman, who joined as CEO in May 2022, is a mechanical engineer by trade. She spent most of her career with Chrysler in product development, culminating in her role as Fiat-Chrysler Automotive's Vice President of Electrical and Electronics.

During the design process of the EV truck, Barman and the Slate team considered how to meet customers' needs while also achieving the affordability target.

For example, Barman explained that their EV has a key fob because the cheaper metal blade key is more of a hassle to use, especially at night, while the fancier passive touch-sensitive locks are more convenient but would have added too much cost.

"That's just an example of how we went through system by system and talked about, and were really thoughtful about what it means to get the cost out of the vehicle," Barman said.

Slate's model is built around choice and freedom — and return business

By offering a basic, no-frills base model, which the company refers to as a "blank slate," the startup's business model is centered on letting the consumer decide what creature comforts they need in a vehicle and when they can afford it.

"It gives freedom of choice to the owner of what accessories they would want to put on the vehicle, either at the time of purchase or over time, depending on their budget," Barman said.

You can upgrade or personalize almost every part of the vehicle, except the battery pack, at any point during its service life.

"It's a complete paradigm change in the car buying experience," she told us.

This means an owner on a tight budget can start with the base truck, which has crank windows and no radio, and steadily upgrade and personalize the vehicle over time with different color wraps or upgraded infotainment.

There's even a kit that transforms the truck into a five-passenger SUV.

The wide array of accessories allows the Slate EV to grow and evolve with its owner's needs.

"It may be, they were single when they first purchased the truck, and they recently got married, and a few years later, they have, a family, and instead of having to exchange it out for a completely new vehicle, they can convert it into a five passenger SUV and continue to use the vehicle," Barman explained.

This saves the consumer from having to sell or trade in a paid-for vehicle and generates additional revenue for Slate from a single sale.

Slate built the DIY EV

As vehicles become increasingly complex and expensive, Slate is becoming a rarity as one of the few manufacturers encouraging owners to work on their cars.

Since it plans to deploy a direct sales model, it doesn't have to worry about sustaining a network of dealers who depend on their service departments to make ends meet.

According to Slate's CEO, upgrade work on its vehicles is designed to be easily enough for owners to do themselves, and the company plans to offer instructional videos called "Slate University" to guide them through the work.

This includes series hardware installs like adding power windows and even the SUV Kit, including rear seats, a roll cage, and airbags.

Although the company plans to have local partner facilities that can do the work professionally if the owner isn't up to doing the wrenching themselves.

The Slate truck, which is expected to be built in an as-yet-unnamed facility in the Midwestern US, will begin customer deliveries at the end of 2026, the company says.

"We would like to see what we can do to go into an existing facility that has been shuttered and reindustrialize and revitalize that community," Barman said.

Reservations are open with a refundable $50 fee.

• Michigan-based startup Slate Auto introduced an all-new $25,000 EV pickup on Thursday in LA.
• The low-cost, back-to-basics pick-up is designed to allow buyers to add features after purchase.
• The startup, which counts Jeff Bezos as an investor, expects to begin delivery at the end of 2026.

EV startup Slate Auto, which counts Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as a key investor, just unveiled its first vehicle.

The new pickup, revealed with Hollywood glitz at an event Thursday night in Long Beach, will start at just $25,000 when it goes on sale in 2026, Slate said — even lower with potential tax credits.

The no-frills model is devoid of common niceties like power windows or a radio that allows customers to make as many or as few upgrades as they desire.

"We wanted to get that cost out of the base vehicle," Slate CEO Chris Barman told Business Insider in an interview.

"It really gives freedom of choice to the owner of what accessories they would want to put on the vehicle, either at the time of purchase or over time, depending on what their budget may be," the former Fiat-Chrysler executive and engineer added.

The Slate Truck, which is expected to be produced at an undetermined location in the Midwestern United States, would be the cheapest new EV and pickup truck in the US.

The current cheapest EV is the standard-range Nissan Leaf, which starts at $28,140. The most affordable pickup truck on sale in the US is the Ford Maverick, which starts at $26,995.

A $25,000 price point would mean achieving something the current EV sales king, Tesla, has been unable to do. Elon Musk has long teased consumers with the prospect of a $25,000 model, but there is currently no firm timeline for its release.

Rivian's truck and SUV, like Tesla's competing models, are far from bare bones and start at nearly $70,000.

The Slate EV's powertrain will feature a 52.7 kWh battery pack and a 201-horsepower electric motor driving the rear wheels. It has a target range of 150 miles and should be able to recharge overnight using a household socket.

Those needing more range can upgrade to a larger 84.3 kWh pack, which should be able to travel up to 240 miles.

It will also feature advanced safety tech like automotive emergency braking and forward collision warning, Slate says.

The Slate truck is a blank slate for owners to personalize

According to Slate, all trucks will leave the factory in a single base configuration with only basic amenities, such as steel wheels and crank windows.

Then, the consumer can choose from over 100 accessories, from hardware like power windows to different wraps that give the truck a personalized look.

"We really think enthusiasts are going to be excited about this," Barman told us.

In addition, an SUV kit will be available that converts the truck into a five-passenger SUV, complete with a roll cage, rear seats, and airbags.

At Thursday's launch event, hundreds of attendees — many of them employees or investors in Slate — oohed and aahed as Barman showed how the vehicle could be transformed from a truck to an SUV in around an hour using an optional accessory package. Once a curtain came up and revealed a shiny blue SUV, it almost seemed like magic.

"How many of you have placed an order?" Barman shouted to applause.

As the party continued, many in the audience marveled at how Slate was able to maintain total secrecy for upwards of two years. Others could not help but notice Slate is an anagram of Tesla.

All the accessories, including the SUV kit, can be upgraded retroactively and are designed to be installed by the owner as DIY projects. (You can also choose to have the work done professionally, of course.)

"This is going to, we hope, inspire a whole new population of a younger generation who maybe never even thought about working on their cars, that's going to be excited about it because pride of ownership, and it's an extension of their personality," the Slate CEO added.

The Slate vehicle is now available for preorder with a $50 refundable deposit.

Jeff Bezos's fiancee, Lauren Sánchez, handpicked five women to fly into space on the Blue Origin NS-31 rocket. It was the first all-female space crew since 1963.

• Lauren Sánchez launched to the edge of space on a Blue Origin rocket Monday morning.
• It's the first all-female crew since 1963 when Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space.
• Sánchez said she was "so proud of this crew" for their bravery.

Jeff Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez made history on Monday, becoming part of the first all-female crew to launch toward space in the 21st century. The last time was in 1963 when cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space.

Katy Perry, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn joined Sánchez on the flight.

"It was a feeling of joy and camaraderie. It was a feeling of gratefulness. It was a feeling that we're doing this," Sánchez said shortly after returning to Earth.

The journalist and helicopter pilot rode Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, which takes space tourists to 62 miles above Earth's surface — to the Kármán line, which is the internationally recognized boundary between space and our planet.

The rocket is named after the NASA astronaut Alan Shepard, who conducted a similar, brief suborbital flight to become the first American in space in 1961.

"Alan Shepard did this same exact flight and he became the first American in space, and six women just did the same flight," Sánchez said.

'More connected than you realize'

The six women experienced weightlessness for about three minutes before falling back to Earth. Looking out of the rocket's windows in those few moments of zero-G, Sánchez said she felt connected.

"Earth looked so, it was so quiet," she said adding that, "You look at it and you're like — we're all in this together. That's all I could think about, like, we're so connected, more connected than you realize."

Astronauts have long described similar, overwhelming feelings of awe, unity, and appreciation for Earth's fragility as they gaze down on our planet from space. They call it "the overview effect."

Shepard himself said he cried when he saw Earth from the moon during an Apollo mission in 1971. The Star Trek actor William Shatner also cried when he returned from a suborbital Blue Origin flight in 2021, saying: "It has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death."

Sánchez said she was proud of her fellow crew members' bravery while venturing into the unknown.

"Gayle — you know we were just talking in the capsule — doesn't even have ear piercings, she's so afraid to do anything. And she got in that capsule, and I think it profoundly changed her," Sánchez said.

Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 and has been launching tourists to space since the billionaire himself flew on New Shepard's maiden passenger flight in 2021.

Bezos founded Blue Origin with the idea to help move heavy, polluting industries off our planet and into space, and has said the company could lay the groundwork for one trillion people to live and work in space someday.

This goal is still a long way off but Blue Origin is making progress.

Although New Shepard can only skim the edge of space, in January the company flew its orbital mega-rocket New Glenn for the first time. New Glenn is designed to lift heavy payloads to space and the moon.

• Lauren Sánchez's all-female space crew took flight Monday on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket.
• Katy Perry promised to sing on the trip and did so, but it was difficult to hear.
• Here's what to know about the flight and crew of the New Shepard 31.

Lauren Sánchez, Katy Perry, and a crew of inspirational women took a trip to space on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket on Monday.

The women were on Blue Origin's NS-31, the 31st flight of the New Shepard rocket program, which launched from its base in Texas.

Here's what to know about the flight and the crew.

Blue Origin's NS-31 rocket launched at 8:30 a.m. CT.

The rocket traveled to space at up to three times the speed of sound.

About 2 minutes and 40 seconds after launch, the crew capsule separated from the rocket, allowing it to cruise 62 miles above Earth over the Kármán line — the internationally recognized boundary separating Earth's atmosphere from space.

Once they were past this line, the crew unbuckled to experience a few minutes of weightlessness before the capsule fell back to Earth.

The capsule landed using parachutes roughly 11 minutes after takeoff.

Lauren Sánchez handpicked the NS-31 crew

The NS-31 crew featured: Sánchez, an Emmy-winning journalist and finance of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos; pop star Perry; Gayle King, the award-winning CBS News anchor; Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights activist; Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist; and Kerianne Flynn, a film producer.

Not only was Nguyen the first Vietnamese woman in space, but this was the first all-female space crew since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova, a Russian engineer, crewed a solo flight.

Sánchez told Elle magazine she chose the other crew members because they're all "storytellers in their own right. They're going to go up to space and be able to spread what they felt in different ways."

Sánchez asked Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, the creative directors of luxury brand Oscar de la Renta and co-founders of their own brand Monse, to make fashionable spacesuits for the crew, she told The New York Times.

The NS-31 crew is certified ‘ready to fly to space’ by CrewMember 7 Sarah Knights. The launch window opens tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. CDT / 13:30 UTC.

You can watch the live webcast here tomorrow at 7 a.m. CDT, hosted by Charissa Thompson, Kristin Fisher, and Ariane Cornell. pic.twitter.com/auKPJvtSl3

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) April 14, 2025

Garcia and Kim partnered with Creative Character Engineering, a Hollywood costume company, to create the Monse Blue Origin suits.

On Sunday, Perry posted an Instagram video showing the capsule, explaining that they dubbed their crew "The Taking Up Space Crew" and promising to sing during the flight.

During the flight, she sang as she'd previously promised, but the audio was difficult to hear.

King said on the Blue Origin livestream that Perry sang "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

"It's not about me. It's not about singing my songs," Perry said of her song choice. "It's about a collective energy and making space for future women. It's about this wonderful world that we see right out there and appreciating it. This is all for the benefit of Earth."

Meanwhile, Nguyen said on Instagram she would conduct multiple experiments on women's health and plants during the brief flight.

Blue Origin flight deposits are $150,000

Blue Origin, founded by Bezos, has been offering space tourism flights since 2021.

The company does not disclose the cost of a space flight, but the website says applicants must pay a $150,000 refundable deposit.

In 2021, Blue Origin auctioned a seat for its maiden flight for $28 million. Tim Chrisman, the cofounder of the Foundation for the Future, told the Observer in 2022 that a board member of the nonprofit paid $1 million for his seat.

Blue Origin has also attracted several celebrities, including William Shatner, the "Star Trek" star.

• Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 and has been competing with SpaceX.
• Blue Origin has two rockets and is developing a moon lander and multifunctional spacecraft.
• Here's the rocket company's history, mission, customers, and biggest rocket launches.

Blue Origin's rockets are making a name for themselves in the private space race.

Jeff Bezos founded the aerospace company in 2000 with the idea of moving heavy, polluting industries off our planet and into space, where millions of people would live and work. The company's name, Blue Origin, refers to Earth.

Bezos called Blue Origin his "most important work," in a 2018 interview with Axel Springer.

Blue Origin's mission is to "build a road to space" by developing reliable, cost-effective rockets.

Blue Origin is vying for space industry dominance as spaceflight companies aim for the moon and Mars. The company's New Shepard rockets regularly fly tourists on short flights to the edge of space. Its New Glenn rocket is designed to carry heavy missions into orbit or to the moon. Blue Origin engineers are also developing a moon lander, called Blue Moon, for future NASA use.

Blue Origin's ambitions have been a source of rivalry between Bezos and Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX remains the world's leading rocket-launch provider.

History and founding

Bezos has said he founded Blue Origin with the vision of giant space stations hosting entire mega-cities of people, based on concepts proposed by the physicist Gerard K. O'Neill in 1976.

Bezos told Lex Fridman in 2023 that he wants to support one trillion humans living throughout the solar system. He added that would result in 1,000 Mozarts and 1,000 Einsteins at any given time.

"We could easily support a civilization that large with all the resources in the solar system," he added.

Still, Bezos says in a video on Blue Origin's website that "Earth is the best planet."

Blue Origin did not initially seem to improve Jeff Bezos' net worth, though. Bezos later revealed, in 2017, that he was selling Amazon stock to finance the rocket company.

The company kept a very low profile for its first two decades. Blue Origin's first rocket launch was in 2015. That was an uncrewed test flight of the suborbital New Shepard rocket.

Bezos himself flew on New Shepard's first passenger flight in July 2021, making history as the first billionaire to reach the Kármán line, which is a somewhat arbitrary but internationally recognized boundary at 100 kilometers (62 miles) altitude. It's sometimes referred to as the beginning of outer space.

Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO that same year, saying he wanted to focus on Blue Origin.

In May 2023, Blue Origin won a NASA contract to land astronauts on the moon, after suing the agency for awarding its first moon-landing contract to only SpaceX. The company lost the lawsuit.

Blue Origin's super-sized orbital rocket, New Glenn, launched for the first time in January 2025.

In April 2025, the company clinched its first Pentagon launch contracts.

Blue Origin's CEO is Dave Limp. The company is headquartered in Kent, Washington, and has rocket launch facilities in West Texas. It has also used a launchpad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Blue Origin rockets

Blue Origin has one suborbital rocket and one orbital rocket. It's also developing a moon lander and a moon-orbiting spacecraft.

New Glenn

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket is designed to launch missions into Earth's orbit and to the moon, with a reusable booster to reduce launch costs.

New Glenn is named after the first American to reach orbit, John Glenn. Seven BE-4 engines on the booster give it enough power to carry up to 45 metric tons into space.

New Glenn belongs to a new generation of the largest, most powerful rockets ever built, next to SpaceX's Starship and NASA's new moon rocket, the Space Launch System.

Blue Origin had begun developing an orbital launch system by 2013, and New Glenn finally made its inaugural flight in January 2025.

New Glenn's first launch was a major leap forward for Blue Origin. It was the first time a rocket company successfully reached orbit on its first-ever attempt.

Here's how the rocket's launch works: As New Glenn screams through the skies, the booster does most of the heavy lifting. Once its fuel is spent and the rocket is on a strong trajectory toward space, the booster separates from the rocket's second stage, which continues onward using BE-3U engines.

Blue Origin aims to land the booster on a platform in the ocean, but on New Glenn's first flight, the booster was lost as it fell back to Earth. Eventually, the company wants to reuse boosters up to 25 times.

According to Blue Origin, the company is already working with customers for New Glenn missions, including AST SpaceMobile, telecommunications companies, and the US Space Force.

New Shepard

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket is designed for suborbital flights which skim the edge of space. It has been flying tourist crews of up to six passengers since 2021.

Bezos himself flew on New Shepard's first flight, then took the Star Trek actor William Shatner on the rocket's second flight later that year.

Upon landing, Shatner said seeing the blackness of space was like looking at death, and added, "I hope I never recover from this."

Blue Origin plans to fly its first all-female passenger crew aboard New Shepard on April 14, including Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Bezos's fiancée, Lauren Sánchez.

Flights on New Shepard last about 11 minutes. Passengers get about three minutes of microgravity, where they can unbuckle from their seats, drift around the spaceship's cabin, and peer out the windows at Earth, before strapping back in for the plummet home.

Because it doesn't need to push itself all the way into orbit, New Shepard is a tiny rocket at just 61 feet tall. BE-3PM engines launch the rocket, then re-fire to softly land it back on the ground. New Shepard is completely reusable.

New Shepard's development involved nine years of testing, which included 16 test flights and three tests of the capsule's emergency escape system.

The vehicle is named after astronaut Alan Shepard, who was the first American to travel to space. Unlike Glenn's orbital flight, Shepard's flight was suborbital.

Blue Moon

Blue Origin is developing the Blue Moon vehicle to land missions on the surface of the moon, launched by the New Glenn rocket.

The company is developing variations of the spacecraft for cargo — up to three metric tons of it — and human crews.

Blue Origin is building BE-7 engines for the lander. The engines are designed to operate in the vacuum of space with enough power to land heavy missions on the moon.

Blue Origin is developing the lander under a $3.4 billion NASA contract.

The contract calls for Blue Origin to conduct an uncrewed test mission to the lunar surface before carrying two astronauts there in 2029.

For NASA astronaut missions, Blue Moon must be able to dock to the Lunar Gateway space station the agency is planning to build in lunar orbit.

Blue Ring

In 2023 Blue Origin announced it was working on a highly maneuverable spacecraft called Blue Ring.

The company plans to sell Blue Ring missions to other companies, which can put more than 3,000 kilograms (about 6,600 pounds) of hardware on board.

Blue Origin says the vehicle can enter a variety of orbits between Earth and the moon.

"Blue Ring addresses two of the most difficult challenges in spaceflight today: growing space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit," Paul Ebertz, the senior vice president of Blue Origin's in-space systems, said in a statement.

The first New Glenn launch carried a prototype of Blue Ring.

Blue Origin vs. SpaceX

Blue Origin and SpaceX have competed for NASA contracts and clout. SpaceX frequently wins the competition.

SpaceX was founded two years later than Blue Origin, but it was launching rockets to orbit by 2008. Its highly influential orbital Falcon 9 rocket first began flying in 2010. Blue Origin didn't launch its first orbital rocket until 2025.

Some of Bezos' space projects mirror Musk's.

For example, like SpaceX's Starship, Blue Origin's New Glenn is designed to be a reusable super-heavy-lift mega-rocket.

While SpaceX launches thousands of Starlink internet satellites into orbit, Bezos's counterpart — Amazon's Kuiper satellites — have been building to their first launch.

At the New York Times DealBook Summit in December 2024, Bezos said that Blue Origin "is not a very good business, yet."

Still, he added, "It's going to be the best business that I've ever been involved in."

• Elon Musk's net worth is above $300 billion again, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index.
• The Tesla CEO said Tuesday he will be stepping back from the White House DOGE office.
• Musk is worth $106 billion more than his nearest rival, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Elon Musk is worth more than $300 billion once again after falling below that threshold earlier this month.

The world's richest person was worth $301 billion at Tuesday's close, up almost $7.5 billion on the day, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, after Tesla stock closed 4.6% higher.

Musk told Tesla investors he would be pulling back from the White House DOGE office in May. "Starting next month, I will be allocating far more of my time to Tesla," he said on the Tuesday call.

Musk's net worth is $106 billion higher than that of Jeff Bezos, who is worth $195 billion and is in second place on the Bloomberg rich list. The Amazon founder and former CEO's wealth has sunk by almost $44 billion this year.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has also seen significant drops in his wealth since December, when he became the first person to be worth more than $400 billion. The total almost reached $500 billion that month and is down by $131 billion in 2025.

Before the start of April, Musk's net worth had not dipped below $300 billion since November, when it hit $264 billion on the sixth day of the month.

The decline in Musk's net worth has been driven by Tesla's stock slide, with the EV maker's stock down about 37% this year.

More of his net worth is derived from his stake in SpaceX than Tesla, however.

Musk and Tesla have faced significant backlash as a result of the CEO's work in the White House, where he serves as a close advisor to President Donald Trump, mainly in the administration's push for government efficiency via the DOGE office.

Many Tesla investors and fans had expressed concern about Musk not focusing enough on the company. Last month, when Fox Business asked how he was managing his DOGE work and leading his various companies, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said, "With great difficulty."

Tesla and Musk's wealth may also be affected by the sweeping tariffs announced by the Trump administration on April 2, which roiled financial markets. Musk, who has been largely loyal to Trump, has spoken out against tariffs.

Musk has called for "zero" tariffs and a "free trade zone" between the US and Europe, and earlier this month shared a video of the economist Milton Friedman discussing the benefits of international trade.

• Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have been a public couple since 2019.
• They've started attending public events together in recent years, especially since they got engaged.
• The couple frequently wears complementary looks on red carpets.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's relationship has been newsworthy since it became public in 2019, as their relationship came on the heels of the Amazon founder's divorce from MacKenzie Scott.

After multiple outlets reported they were engaged in May 2023, they have been attending more public events together than ever.

And as they have attended more events together, Bezos and Sánchez have developed their sense of style as a couple, often wearing subtly coordinated, chic ensembles.

Take a look at some of the couple's best looks together to date.

Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos wore contrasting prints while attending a Prime Video event together.

While Bezos walked the blue carpet in a marble-esque blazer, Sánchez stood out in a sparkling black-and-red gown.

Her dress had long sleeves made from polka-dot mesh, a plunging neckline that reached her navel, and a thigh-high slit. The daring gown also had an all-over geometric print that sparkled in the light.

The couple opted for classic glam at the 2021 Baby2Baby 10-Year Gala.

Bezos attended in a traditional tuxedo with thick lapels, a white button-up shirt, and a black bow tie.

Sánchez mirrored him in a black mermaid-style gown. It had thin straps, a ruffled lace neckline, and a matching black band around the waist. She accessorized with a diamond cuff on her wrist.

Their summer style has included light-colored gowns and simple suits.

At the 2022 premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," for example, Bezos sported a gray suit comprised of a sharp blazer, pleated trousers, and a lighter-toned undershirt.

Sánchez kept things even simpler in a white asymmetrical gown from Tom Ford. The body-hugging piece had a single shoulder strap, a fitted waistline, and a skirt slit that revealed her gold sandals.

Bezos and Sánchez dazzled at another "Lord of the Rings" premiere in black and red.

Bezos posed for photographers in a black suit, which he wore with a white undershirt and satin tie.

Sánchez took the opposite approach with her outfit, wearing a vibrant red gown covered in tiny sparkles. She also wore silver sandals and a diamond bracelet.

They amped up their style for a Versace fashion show in 2023.

Sánchez showed the edgy side of her style in a minidress from the Italian designer. Its black fabric sparkled as she moved, and black belts crisscrossed over the garment.

She wore it with semi-sheer tights and pointed pumps.

Bezos, on the other hand, swapped his usual tuxedos for a sleeker suit. He wore a dark T-shirt underneath a lighter jacket and completed the outfit with shining dress shoes.

Sánchez and Bezos coordinated in black outfits again at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in March 2023.

Sánchez's Elie Saab gown had off-the-shoulder sleeves that created a plunging V-neckline. The form-fitting bodice was actually a bodysuit, and a semi-sheer skirt with strips of sparkly black fabric sat atop it.

Bezos kept his look simple in a black tuxedo.

The couple put a summery spin on red-carpet attire at the TIAH anniversary soirée in August 2023.

Bezos wore multiple neutral shades for the event, pairing a pale gray shirt with a taupe jacket, white pants, and taupe shoes.

In contrast, Sánchez wore a form-fitting red gown with embellished spaghetti straps and clear heels.

Sánchez and Bezos wore all-black looks to a Staud fashion show in September 2023.

Sánchez's sparkly minidress from Staud, which had a slit on one side, had a celestial theme, as it was adorned with constellations. She accessorized with silver shoes and jewelry.

Bezos paired his short-sleeve black T-shirt and pants with a chic vest.

Both had fun with texture when they attended a Dolce & Gabbana party in Milan in January.

The couple embraced the mob wife trend for the Dolce & Gabbana party, wearing coordinating looks from the designer. Bezos wore black-on-black with a velvet suit and a black button-down, which he wore with no tie.

Sánchez's dress was more daring, as the figure-hugging gown had a corset bodice and was made entirely of sheer black lace. She wore a blazer jacket with a black rosette on her shoulders, open-toe shoes, and oversize sunglasses.

The couple looked effortlessly chic at a Chanel pre-Oscars dinner in March.

Bezos wore a charcoal suit to the dinner, which he dressed down with a black T-shirt and black shoes.

Sánchez chose a long-sleeve, black dress for the event. The garment hit her at the ankle, showing off black heels, and had a plunging neckline. A choker completed her look.

Sánchez and Bezos wowed at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party.

Both Sánchez and Bezos wore Lever Couture to Vanity Fair's party.

Bezos' black tuxedo was simple, but he added a diamond brooch to his lapel to elevate the ensemble.

Sánchez wore a red ball gown with a dramatic train. The dress was made of tulle that fell in ribbons, creating volume on the sleeves and skirt and emphasizing the plunging neckline and form-fitting bodice. Her nude shoes and diamond necklace gave the look a timeless feel.

Sánchez wore a semi-sheer dress to the White House state dinner in April.

Bezos and Sánchez attended the White House state dinner held in Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's honor on Wednesday.

While Bezos attended the dinner in a traditional black tuxedo, Sánchez wore a deep-red dress styled by Kelly Johnson. The off-the-shoulder gown featured a semi-sheer corset bodice made of lace, contrasting with the silky skirt.

Gold heels with leaf detailing and a sparkly silver bag completed Sánchez's bold look.

The couple wore coordinating black-and-white ensembles at the 2024 Met Gala.

Sánchez chose Oscar de La Renta for her Met Gala debut, wearing a strapless gown from the designer.

The black bodice had a simple sweetheart neckline, while a mosaic of fabric that created roses covered the full skirt and train.

On the red carpet, Sánchez told Vogue she thought the gown was "extremely unique and has a sense of femininity."

Bezos didn't walk the red carpet with his fiancée, but he joined her at the top of the Met steps in a classic black tuxedo.

In 2025, they stepped out at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in statement looks.

Sánchez and Bezos could have been mistaken for a bride and groom at the Beverly Hills event in March.

The Amazon founder wore a black suit, a white undershirt, a matching bowtie, and a diamond brooch. Sánchez stood beside him in a strapless white Oscar de la Renta ball gown decorated with feathers.

The outfits seemingly nodded to their coming wedding, which is said to be taking place in Italy over the summer.

They later celebrated science at the 2025 Breakthrough Prize ceremony and wore classic red-carpet attire.

Bezos kept things simple with a black tuxedo, matching bowtie, and white undershirt. Sánchez, however, brought the glamour.

She wore a red, sleeveless gown — made by John Galliano in 1994 — that was previously worn by Sophia Loren. It had an asymmetrical bodice with a low neckline, form-fitting fabric across the waist, and a skirt that flowed around her ankles.

She completed the flashy outfit with diamond earrings, a statement necklace, and a crystal-covered clutch designed by Judith Leiber to look like an astronaut.

• The world's 10 richest people had a combined $172 billion wiped off their fortunes in three days.
• Stocks plunged after Trump's tariff plans sparked fears of retaliation and recession.
• Elon Musk is down $35 billion since Wednesday, while Mark Zuckerberg is down about $24 billion.

The world's 10 richest people had a combined $172 billion wiped off their fortunes during the stock market's three-day rout, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows.

President Donald Trump's unveiling of sweeping tariffs last Wednesday triggered a frantic sell-off that sent the S&P 500 down 11% over the course of Thursday, Friday, and Monday.

The world's 10 wealthiest people, collectively worth just over $2 trillion at the start of this year, have had more than $350 billion vaporized in 2025 due to the slide in the value of their equity stakes.

Elon Musk alone has shed $135 billion, bringing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO's net worth below $300 billion for the first time in five months. The only top 10 member in the green this year is Warren Buffett, the legendary investor who leads Berkshire Hathaway.

Here's where their fortunes stood at Monday's market close:

1. Elon Musk

Net worth: $298 billion

3-day change: down $35 billion

Year-to-date change: down $135 billion

Elon Musk's net worth has fluctuated wildly in recent months. Excitement about his proximity to the president has been replaced by concern, as anger has grown toward the White House's DOGE agency, and public backlash against Tesla has hammered the automaker's stock.

The world's richest person derives his wealth primarily from his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX. His other businesses include SpaceX, Neuralink, X, The Boring Company, and xAI.

2. Jeff Bezos

Net worth: $196 billion

3-day change: down $21 billion

Year-to-date change: down $43 billion

Jeff Bezos is the founder and executive chairman of Amazon. He also owns The Washington Post, which he purchased in 2013. Bezos stepped down as Amazon's CEO in 2021.

3. Mark Zuckerberg

Net worth: $183 billion

3-day change: down $24 billion

Year-to-date change: down $25 billion

Mark Zuckerberg is the cofounder and CEO of Meta Platforms, the social media behemoth that owns Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Threads.

4. Warren Buffett

Net worth: $154 billion

3-day change: down $14 billion

Year-to-date change: up $12 billion

Warren Buffett, 94, is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. His conglomerate owns scores of businesses including Geico and See's Candies, and holds multibillion-dollar stakes in public companies such as Apple and American Express.

The legendary investor's track record of capitalizing on market crashes, and his company's scale and diversification, have made Berkshire a haven for investors who've pushed its stock up 8% this year.

5. Bernard Arnault

Net worth: $150 billion

3-day change: down $19 billion

Year-to-date change: down $26 billion

Bernard Arnault is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods conglomerate. LVMH owns more than 75 brands spanning fashion, cosmetics, jewelry, and spirits, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Moët & Chandon.

LVMH's sales have come under pressure from flagging luxury demand in recent quarters.

6. Bill Gates

Net worth: $149 billion

3-day change: down $13 billion

Year-to-date change: down $10 billion

Bill Gates is the cofounder of Microsoft, though he stepped down from the board in 2020 and now owns only a small percentage of its shares. Most of his fortune is managed through Cascade Investment, a private firm that holds major stakes in companies like the Four Seasons Hotels.

Gates' primary focus is the Gates Foundation, a philanthropic powerhouse that supports global health, education, and climate initiatives.

7. Larry Ellison

Net worth: $147 billion

3-day change: down $21 billion

Year-to-date change: down $45 billion

Larry Ellison is the cofounder, executive chairman, and chief technology officer of Oracle, one of the world's largest software and cloud computing companies.

Ellison is also a major investor in Tesla and owns a large portion of Lanai, a Hawaiian island.

Along with OpenAI's Sam Altman and SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, Ellison is spearheading Project Stargate, a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative supported by Trump.

8. Larry Page

Net worth: $134 billion

3-day change: down $9 billion

Year-to-date change: down $35 billion

Larry Page is the cofounder of Google and a board member of its parent company, Alphabet. While he stepped down as Alphabet's CEO in 2019, he remains a major shareholder and influential figure.

Page is also a major backer of Kitty Hawk and Opener, companies that are developing electric flying vehicles.

9. Steve Ballmer

Net worth: $126 billion

3-day change: down $8 billion

Year-to-date change: down $20 billion

Steve Ballmer is the former CEO of Microsoft, a role he held from 2000 to 2014. He remains one of the company's largest individual shareholders with an estimated 4% stake.

Outside Microsoft, Ballmer also owns the Los Angeles Clippers, an NBA team he purchased in 2014 for $2 billion.

10. Sergey Brin

Net worth: $126 billion

3-day change: down $8 billion

Year-to-date change: down $33 billion

Sergey Brin is the cofounder of Google and played a key role in developing its early search algorithms. He served as president of Alphabet until stepping down in 2019.

Like Page, Brin retains significant influence at Alphabet through his Class B shares. Most of his net worth is tied to Alphabet stock.

• Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez will wed in Venice this summer.
• Around 200 guests, including Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump, are expected to attend.
• The couple went public with their relationship in 2019 and became engaged in 2023.

Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos are preparing to host the wedding of the year — or maybe even the century.

After months of speculation, the mayor of Venice confirmed in late March that the billionaire and his soon-to-be bride are set to wed within the Italian city's borders this summer.

The ceremony will take place more than six years after the couple went public with their relationship in January 2019.

Here's everything we know about the highly anticipated event so far.

Hundreds of invitations and a luxe destination

Bezos, 61, and Sánchez, 55, have yet to share any details about their coming wedding. However, other involved parties have.

Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro released a statement on Saturday saying the city would host the coming nuptials.

He told The Times that Venice won the couple's affection — they considered multiple destinations — with some help from Dolce & Gabbana designer Domenico Dolce.

Local officials also said four luxury hotels and a fleet of water taxis have been rented for the occasion, The Times reported.

The Amazon founder and his fiancée have invited around 200 guests, according to Brugnaro's statement. That list is said to include Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, and Bill Gates, among other celebrities and billionaires.

However, Brugnaro said Venice is equipped to handle the star-studded ceremony and has "experience in international events much larger than this."

"The organization (Bezos and guests) have categorically not booked large amounts of gondolas or excessive numbers of water taxis," he said. "It is their utmost priority to make sure the city functions as normal, for all, with no abnormal disruption to anyone."

The couple was previously surrounded by rumors that they were hosting a $600 million winter wedding in Aspen last year until Bezos shut down the speculation on X.

Italian publications later said they'd wed on Bezos' $500 million yacht in the region, though The Daily Mail reported that the rumor was false.

Page Six reported that wedding invitations have officially been sent and that the couple's outfit fittings are now underway.

This weekend, photos of Bezos and Sánchez visiting a Dolce & Gabbana store in Milan were published. As they left the boutique, members of their posse were seen carrying white garment bags.

There are also rumors that Sánchez's wedding dress will be designed by Oscar de la Renta, the same designer who created her 2024 Met Gala gown.

The story of Bezos and Sánchez

The couple is said to have connected at an Amazon Studios party for the film "Manchester by the Sea" in 2016 while they were both married to other people.

In 2018, they reconnected professionally when Bezos hired Sánchez's aerial filming company to work with Blue Origin.

Bezos and his now ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, announced their divorce on January 9, 2019, and his relationship with Sánchez was announced hours later.

The couple confirmed their engagement in May 2023 and have been attending major events like White House dinners and movie premieres ever since.

A Vermont lawmaker stood firm behind comments made during a recent Ways & Means hearing about the government’s role in the economy that drew the attention of state Republicans.

"Right now, our system is rigged against working people, our poorest neighbors, and the most vulnerable members of our communities," said state Rep. Teddy Waszazak, D-Barre. Fox News Digital asked him about comments made during a discussion on property tax brackets and proverbially paying one’s fair share.

"I feel very strongly about this — I feel the need to say this," Waszazak interjected during a committee discussion last week that included a guest witness from the business-centered Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce organization.

"The market picks winners and losers — it is the job of the government and tax code to right-size that," Waszazak said.

VT GOP PUSHES FOR PENALTIES AGAINST DEMS ACCUSED OF DISRUPTING ‘DETRANS’ EVENT

The chamber official responded by saying that there may be a place for the government to "play referee," but "I don't think that it's appropriate to be picking winners and losers [or] targeting specific classes of payers based off of likes and dislikes… that’s a slippery slope."

Another Democrat on the committee chimed in to say she did not believe Waszazak was seeking to divide taxation based on personal likes and dislikes.

Vermont Republicans seized on video clips of the hearing, with Vermont GOP Chairman Paul Dame saying such commentary is par for the course in Montpelier, as talk of government control and "winners and losers" is often associated with socialist political thought.

While Gov. Phil Scott is a Republican, the legislature has long been a site where far-left ideas are put to paper, Dame said.

"Unfortunately, Representative Waszazak is expressing verbally what so many Vermont Democrats believe and how they’ve legislated," he said.

RNC FILES LAWSUIT OVER NONCITIZEN VOTING RIGHTS IN VERMONT'S LARGEST CITY

"They believe it’s their job to tip the scales in the ways they see fit rather than letting Vermonters play on an equal playing field."

In his comments to Fox News Digital, Waszazak reaffirmed his assertion from the hearing, saying that the "rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer."

He pointed to the increasing wealth of billionaires Elon Musk, President Donald Trump and Amazon/Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.

Citing the discussion in the hearing, which revolved around funding affordable housing and divvying up Vermont breadwinners into as many as nine tax brackets, Waszazak said he would like to see a tax structure where the working-class benefits most.

"[I’d like to see] teachers, construction workers, food service workers, truck drivers, veterans, children, and families [be] the winners," he said. "That's what I work for every day in Montpelier, and I’m proud of it."

Fox News Digital also reached out to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. — a self-described democratic socialist — for comment on his fellow Vermonter.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

On Sanders' official website, a video featuring a then-21-year-old Waszazak showed the future lawmaker saying he believed the American Dream had faded.

"I think a lot of my generation is growing up and realizing that this isn’t the country and the economy that we were promised we were going to have. We were just told as children that if you work hard, if you go to school, you will eventually be able to buy a house, have kids, and have whatever job you want to have… And I don’t think that’s true at all today."

On X, formerly Twitter, Waszazak appeared to be taking criticism in stride.

When a critic posted the video clip and asked "is this a joke?" the Democrat reposted: "I’m Teddy Waszazak and I approve this message."

• Billionaire Jeff Bezos' marriage to Lauren Sánchez is set to take place in Venice this summer.
• The city's mayor is attempting to reassure locals ahead of the event.
• He said organizers were working to ensure it would be "respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city."

As the city of Venice confirmed it is gearing up to host the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez this summer, the local mayor attempted to reassure residents amid the ongoing battle with overtourism.

In a statement on Saturday, the city of Venice said the billionaire and his bride-to-be's upcoming nuptials would not cause disruption to residents or visitors and that the priority would be to make sure the city — long a tourist hotspot — "functions as normal."

The statement said that 200 guests are due to attend the Venetian ceremony, but it stressed that the city was accustomed to handling large international events.

It also denied reports that large numbers of gondolas or "excessive" numbers of water taxis had been booked for the occasion.

"The many speculations and fake news circulating about Jeff Bezos' wedding are completely unfounded," the statement continued.

Luigi Brugnaro, Venice's mayor, added: "We are mutually working and supporting the organizers, to ensure that the event will be absolutely respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city. For this reason, we will work together for best result. Whoever loves Venice will always be welcome."

The city did not disclose the date for Bezos and Sanchez's destination wedding, and representatives for the Blue Origin founder did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was sent outside regular working hours.

However, a spokesperson for the mayor of Venice told CNN that the celebrations are due to take place from June 24 to June 26.

Bezos and Sánchez, a former broadcast journalist, became engaged in May 2023. The Washington Post owner was previously married to MacKenzie Scott, with whom he has four children.

It's not the first time the "floating city" has played host to a high-profile wedding.

In 2014, George and Amal Clooney tied the knot at the exclusive Aman Canal Grande Hotel, which faces onto the iconic Grand Canal.

But in recent years, the city — famed for its maze of picturesque canals and stunning architecture — has garnered increasing attention for its attempts to push back on overtourism.

With a population of around just 50,000, the island city of Venice welcomes around 20 million visitors a year — and many of its outnumbered residents are fed up.

Several measures have been introduced to try to tackle the issue, including limiting tourist groups to 25 people, banning large cruise ships from entering the Venice Lagoon, and charging a daily 5-euro (around $5.40) fee to day-trippers.

• Amazon Photos has a new feature that turns your photo library into an online marketplace.
• Users can now search for products on Amazon using photos stored in their Amazon Photos app.
• The new feature uses image recognition technology to find similar products sold on Amazon.

Amazon is now setting up shop in users' photo libraries.

Panos Panay, senior vice president of Amazon's Devices and Services division, announced an update to Amazon Photos allowing users to "search your photo library to find similar products on Amazon."

"Spot something you loved at a friend's house or a toy your kid was obsessed with?" he wrote in an X post on Friday. "Just search your photos and we'll surface relevant items for you."

Panay posted a 30-second video promoting the update, which uses image recognition technology to analyze users' photos, identify potential products, and provide links to purchase similar items on Amazon.

"You can use the Amazon Photos app to shop for products recognized in your photos," according to Amazon's customer service webpage. "When viewing individual photos, select the Lens icon to explore products in the Amazon retail app or website."

Representatives for Amazon did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The photo app update is yet another way Amazon — founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos — is trying to entice shoppers.

In February, BI reported that Amazon is testing a program that pays media companies to drive traffic to the retail e-commerce platform through product recommendations. Publishers would get paid even if readers don't purchase the product.

The feature comes just in time for Amazon's 2025 Big Spring Sale, which runs from March 25 to March 31. Shoppers can snag deals across several Amazon categories, from electronics to household products.

Lee insists he's "famously" a very good Catholic. He's a moral person — his mother raised him right. And by his internal calculation, it's OK to shoplift from Whole Foods. Why? Because of Jeff Bezos.

From about 2020 to 2022, Lee, a 20-something communications professional living in the Washington, DC, area, engaged in what he describes as "grand theft auto-ing" from his local Whole Foods store. He would cheat the scale at the hot bar, pocket spices, or take home four lemons in the self-checkout aisle while only declaring two. Lee has never shoplifted from anywhere else — not Safeway, not a local store. He's largely stopped taking from Whole Foods because he moved to a different neighborhood that doesn't have one. However, he told me, there's one by his gym he'll pop into — and steal from — from time to time.

Lee has weighed the ethics of what he's doing. At one point, the guilt got to be so much that he confessed his misdeeds to his mother. Once he explained his reasoning — Amazon's market power, Bezos' wealth, what the billionaire has done at The Washington Post — she came around.

"If a billionaire can steal from me, I can scrape a little off the top, too," Lee says. Lee is a pseudonym — the same goes for all of the shoplifters and ethically (and legally) compromised individuals quoted in this story. Over the past several months, I've spoken with nearly a dozen of them — some I found through their confessions online; others reached out when they heard through social media I was working on this story.

Practically speaking, it's a good moment to be a billionaire in America — you've probably got more tax cuts on the way, and the president is nice to you as long as you're nice to him. Maybe your stocks are down, but you're still a billionaire, so it's fine. In terms of public perception, however, the superrich have seen better days. Americans are vandalizing Teslas to get back at Elon Musk. Mark Zuckerberg's "Zuckermoon" is over. As for Jeff Bezos, some people are stealing from him — or, rather, his companies — in an effort to exact revenge. Like Lee, they're enacting some moral payback, one fancy cheese from Whole Foods or fudged Amazon return at a time. They're sticking it to The Man, who in this case is one specific individual.

These subversive infractions directed at Bezos and his billionaire cohort may be rooted in legitimate gripes with the state of the world and its unfathomable wealth inequality. On the spectrum of crime severity, swiping $20 worth of goods from a multibillion-dollar corporation does not rank high. But the justifications people offer are just that — justifications. None of what they're doing is actually making the type of impact they might like to see, and they're conveniently ignoring Bezos' positive contributions, such as his philanthropy. And they could be causing unintended harm to the non-Bezoses of the world, as in, everyone else. Many retailers have put items behind glass cases to combat theft, which is a headache for everybody. Shoplifting can demoralize workers, and if enough people do it, it may lead companies to raise prices, or in the case of return fraud, mean businesses make sending unwanted items back a lot harder.

In the realm of retail theft, middle-class consumers and opportunist thieves are a growing group of culprits. It's difficult to tease out the exact size and scope of the cohort, given how incomplete retail-theft data can be. Amazon isn't exactly shouting its shrink numbers from the rooftops, and other companies have even admitted to mistakes in assessing the problem. But as one loss prevention professional put it to me last year, everyday, ordinary shoplifters are "like a giant organized mob, they just don't know each other."

Many of them abide by a certain code around who they take from, and the swath of small-time larcenists I've spoken to consistently say that anything Jeff Bezos-related falls into the "allowed" column. He's the second-richest man in the world, he's highly visible, and they don't love what they know about him personally. They feel like they're balancing the scales in stealing from one of his companies, undertaking some sort of Robin Hood-esque endeavor where they take from the rich to give to the poor, the comparatively poor being themselves.

Take Jesse, a 30-something tech worker who until recently would steal entire bags of groceries from Whole Foods with his roommates. A friend at Instacart tipped them off to the opportunity — with so many personal shoppers roaming around the aisles, workers weren't going to notice another person loading bags or whether they were paying for what was in them. Once, they got expensive steaks from the butcher and left without paying for them, later grilling them out on a friend's roof.

"I never felt bad for the corporation as a whole, because it was Amazon and, you know, it was Jeff Bezos," Jesse said. "He just profits so much taking advantage of the little people, so if we as little people can bite back a little bit, and that's me taking $100 maybe out of revenue for him, that's a little bit of a middle finger."

Separately, there's Carson, another Whole Foods bandit whose friends joke they're actually "liberating" items from the store, not stealing. As Carson, a 30-something who works in the nonprofit sector, told me for a story last year, he likes slipping salmon lox into his laptop sleeve and estimates he saves about $1,000 in groceries a year by shoplifting, largely from Whole Foods.

"It's easy to look at him like a Lex Luthor," Carson told me recently, referring to the Superman villain.

Carson isn't just extracting his purported payback through Whole Foods. He likes to throw big, complicated parties, so he'll buy $1,000 of decorations from Amazon, use them, and then return them.

"Who's actually hurt in this strange, dehumanized system?" he said.

Reporting for this story, I heard the same sentiment over and over from shoplifters and less-than-honest Amazon shoppers. One Whole Foods nabber, a 30-something tech worker, justified their penchant for lifting from the grocery store as a mix of ease, quality, and antipathy toward one of the richest people in the world. "My lack of remorse for any of this is — it's a big corporation. They have so much money, eggs are $10, screw them," they said.

One 50-something business owner explained how they would exploit a loophole in Amazon's return system to get what amounted to free money for runs to an Amazon Go store in their office building. When I asked whether they felt any sense of regret, the answer was succinct: "F— no. He's the most successful entrepreneur alive."

Jimmy, a 30-something government worker, told me he's "indifferent" toward Bezos, and he does feel somewhat bad about engaging in some light return fraud. One of his gaming controllers recently broke, so he bought a new one, stuck the old one in the box it came in, and sent it back undetected. Still, he's not losing sleep over it. "We know how much money that company makes. They're not going to be worried about that $70," he says. "I feel like the Batman of returns. I choose my targets."

The Bezos bashers' complaints ran the gamut: Whole Foods is a gentrifier; he's just too rich; shooting himself into space is gauche. Whatever anyone's precise justifications, there have been plenty of headlines and accusations that paint Bezos and his companies in an unflattering light. Amazon's e-commerce practices are bad for the environment. His businesses have been widely criticized for their approach to workers, including subjecting them to brutal work conditions and engaging in wage theft. His recent political turn and push to exert more influence over The Washington Post, which he owns, has turned many people off and reportedly lost the paper thousands of subscribers.

To be sure, Bezos has also given people plenty to be happy about. It's super convenient to have stuff delivered to your door at the drop of a hat. Whole Foods is, for the most part, a lovely shopping experience. But in an era where billionaires are viewed as the bad guys, and there's growing anger about extreme wealth inequality, it can be easy for people to overlook any upsides. There are a handful of guys in popular culture who epitomize the enormous gap between haves and have-nots. Bezos is one of them.

It is fair to wonder, though, if stealing from Whole Foods or returning a dress you wore to a wedding is the best way to get back at Bezos. It's a bit of a stretch to think the answer to that one is yes.

I reached out to Garret Merriam, an associate philosophy professor at California State University, Sacramento, who studies ethics, to get his read. He told me there are likely three broad categories of thinking going on here. There are those who don't really consider what they're doing to be stealing — they're oblivious to it. Like taking a pen from the breakroom at work, they figure it's baked in when they grab a snack as they browse the Whole Foods aisles. There are people who recognize it's cheating, but they don't think it's wrong, given Bezos' wealth and his business practices. In a context where Amazon has paid millions of dollars to settle wage theft lawsuits, they figure lying about a lost package is a small way to try to even things out. And then there are those who feel a sense of political desperation — they're powerless in the face of massive political and economic forces, and this is an outlet for some sort of action, even if futile. "The target is misapplied, but the anger is, I would say, understandable," he said.

People have a tendency to try to neutralize potentially unsavory behavior by coming up with ways to justify their actions, Emmeline Taylor, a professor of criminology at City St. George's, University of London, said. In this case, they tell themselves things like, "Bezos is bad, Amazon won't even notice, this seems like a victimless crime," to make themselves feel better and like they're in the right. "They've sort of rehearsed this in their head so many times or even said it out loud, they start to believe it themselves," she said. "That's what allows them these sorts of moral gymnastics."

While people may see their actions as a way to get back at Bezos, the sheer size of the modern corporation creates a level of removal that makes it easy to sit back and think, "Who cares if someone pulls one over on them?" After all, it feels like they're pulling one over on us all the time.

"When we take from a store or a workplace, it gets a little bit easier to distance yourself," Terrence Shulman, the founder of the Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft, Spending, and Hoarding, said.

Beyond the fact that theft and fraud are, you know, against the law, anti-Amazon avengers may not recognize the collateral damage they could be inadvertently causing. If you steal from Whole Foods, Bezos won't know, but the store manager who's fired over it will. (I did survey some Whole Foods workers about this, and several of them confirmed that (a) they see a lot of middle-class and even seemingly wealthy shoplifters, and (b) they may be a little bothered by some of it but are not in a tizzy.) Before you lie to Amazon that your package never arrived or return the wrong item, you might want to check who the actual seller is.

John Roman, the CEO of BattlBox, which sells outdoor gear and equipment, would rather just sell everything from his own website, but they've got to be on Amazon and other e-commerce platforms just because of the reach. He's currently dealing with a return fraud situation — someone bought a new spotlight from him, said they didn't like it, and shipped an older model back. BattlBox didn't even realize what had happened until they sent the returned item to another customer who flagged it. Roman has filed an appeal with Amazon, but there's "no telling" whether the company will side with him.

He doesn't really blame people for doing this. By making returns so easy and taking "the customer is right" philosophy to the extreme, Amazon has fostered this behavior. "I don't think the average consumer even understands that it's not Amazon selling the product," he said, pointing to the fact that Amazon regularly introduces an Amazon Basic version of a best-selling item — which then gets prominent website placement near or above the original — in order to get in on the action. Roman even understands the get-back-at-Bezos stuff, given how the ultrawealthy are viewed.

"I'm not saying I agree with it, but I fully understand the people that view that they're giving it to The Man, but the reality is that you are actually hurting small businesses," he said.

Ironically, shoplifting at other retailers has been a plus for Amazon's business — people frustrated that everything is locked up at CVS and Target just go to Amazon's website instead. It's not clear how big of a problem shrink is for Whole Foods and Amazon since the company doesn't break it out in their financials. When Amazon CEO Andy Jassy was asked about return fraud in a CNBC interview last year, he sort of shrugged it off, saying at the company's scale, "You get a bit of everything."

"It matters to them, but does it matter enough to put the time and effort into trying to stop that? I would say probably not," Arun Sundaram, an analyst at CFRA Research, said. He joked that given how profitable some other arms of Amazon's business arms are, if it wanted to give free food to customers for a month, it probably could.

Amazon declined to comment for this story. Jeff Bezos did not respond to a request for comment.

I'm not trying to say that the logic among Amazon and Whole Foods thieves is, "I woke up in the morning mad at Jeff Bezos because killed The Washington Post's Kamala Harris endorsement, so now I'm going to steal overpriced salami from Whole Foods." Attitudes are generally more removed and hazy. They view snacking while shopping (without paying for said snack) as a victimless crime, with the only potential victim being Bezos, even if that's a stretch.

"I don't know who I'm hurting," Lee said.

In the current economy, it's hard not to feel like you're being taken advantage of at every turn. Everything's getting more expensive, but corporate profits are still going up. Companies are constantly cutting costs, whether that means laying off workers or making it impossible to talk to a customer service representative on the phone. People feel like they have to be on guard against business trickery and slights. If you've shrugged and said, "That's how they get you," enough times, you start to think about how you'll get them. People feel like big business has broken the social contract, so they can break it back.

If people want to hurt Amazon with their pocketbooks, the best thing they can probably do is just not shop there. But that would require effort, planning, and forgoing the luxuries of on-demand shopping, which many people don't seem so willing to do.

"That would be a moral response," said Stuart Green, a Rutgers law professor who focuses on the moral theory underlying laws. "I don't think you can steal things that you like and then say you're doing it because you don't like the company."

At least it's better than setting Teslas on fire.

Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

• Technologist Lane Bess reflects on his two Blue Origin space trips.
• Bess said each trip renewed his sense of what matters in life.
• He called for more visionary investments in space technology and exploration.

This is an as-told-to conversation with tech industry veteran Lane Bess. He founded Bess Ventures and is CEO of Deep Instinct, a deep learning-powered cybersecurity company. He is also the chairman of Blaize AI, the former CEO of Palo Alto Networks, and the former COO of Zscaler. He does not have financial ties to Blue Origin.

I've been to space twice in about three years. Each time, I've returned with a renewed sense of what matters in life.

I took my first trip in December 2021 and my second this past February. Each flight was just 10 minutes long, but Earth looks completely different when you take off and when you land.

I came back this time with several questions about the state of our world. Since my first trip, war has escalated. I thought this then — and still do now — the only limitation to what humanity can achieve is our ability to get along with one another.

What I see instead is a thirst for power, a change in how people see politics, and people compromising the founding ideas of our constitutional forefathers for things that just advantage one country over another.

US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping shouldn't be the only three people on Earth who have a say in how the rest of humanity lives their lives.

All of this might make you think we should find another place to go because we're going to mess this up. We won't colonize Mars anytime soon, but maybe it has to start now.

A lifetime curiosity

I've been fascinated by rockets since I was a child. Even before I was a teenager, I remember going to the local hobby store — where I'd have to lie about my age — to buy these model rocket engines (which were obviously flammable). It's a passion I grew to share with my son, Cameron, who also accompanied me on my first space trip.

Years later, it became possible for civilians to go to space. Fortunately, by then, I had made great exits from my previous cybersecurity companies, Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler, so I could afford to bid on a Blue Origin seat in an auction. I had also been looking into investing in space technology through my family office, Bess Ventures.

In 2021, right before Thanksgiving, Blue Origin's operations and civilian sales director contacted me about joining its third flight. I was contacted again in January of this year when a seat opened on the 10th flight.

I can't disclose exactly how much my latest trip cost, but it was in the millions. It's clear my five fellow passengers also had good financial outcomes in life. Richard Scott is a reproductive endocrinologist who sold his reproductive medicine group, IVIRMA, to private equity firm KKR. Elaine Chia Hyde, a physicist, pilot, and founder of the media company Chicago Star and the only woman on the trip, had been saving for years to do something like this.

We spent about two and a half days in classroom training before takeoff. Unlike astronauts who prepare for longer orbital trips, we spent no time training in a centrifuge or swimming in a tank to understand weightlessness. This was more about learning the engineering behind the rocket so you know how safe it is. Up until two and a half minutes before they pull the gangplank, though, you can bail out.

Before takeoff we get into the designated crew capsule of the rocket. For the first five to seven seconds, you don't feel much movement because the engine is igniting. You have earpieces to soften the sound of the engine, but you still hear a lot of banging. Then, the capsule is ejected into the air.

In two and a half minutes, you're crossing the Kármán line, and you start to realize how thin and fragile the Earth's atmosphere is. By then, you're also weightless. I used my GoPro to get a shot of the view.

The ascent is smooth, but the descent can get bumpy. You're pulled into your seat with such a high gravitational acceleration that you can't physically move — let alone take a deep breath.

Once we landed, our families were there to welcome us. We had a Champagne toast and took in the fact that we were one of a few hundred civilians that had ventured into space.

Billionaires for space travel

I first interacted with Jeff Bezos' company Amazon back in the nineties when I was a product manager launching AT&T's internet business and Amazon was launching book sales online.

 I wouldn't say we're close friends, but I know him well enough to say he's sincere in his commitment to space and science. At his ranch, he once told me he feels blessed that his businesses have generated enough wealth that he can really think about things that most people just won't think about.

There are thousands of billionaires in the world, but only a dozen or so who put their money into really forward looking things. I guess every generation needs a few of those.