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Sheldon Adelson, with his wife, Miriam, talks with then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before a 2017 speech by President Trump at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
Updated at 12:27 p.m. ET
Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, one of the most prolific donors in conservative politics, died Monday night at the age of 87 due to complications from treatment for non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, according to a statement from Las Vegas Sands, the company he founded.
Forbes in the casino hotel industry. He spent much of it backing conservative politicians in the U.S. and Israel, shaping the political debate of both countries.
He was in the first wave of superwealthy Americans to take advantage of the Supreme Court s controversial
Evan Vucci/AP
toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP
Sheldon Adelson, with his wife, Miriam, talks with then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before a 2017 speech by President Trump at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Evan Vucci/AP
Updated at 12:27 p.m. ET
Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, one of the most prolific donors in conservative politics, died Monday night at the age of 87 due to complications from treatment for non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, according to a statement from Las Vegas Sands, the company he founded.
Forbes in the casino hotel industry. He spent much of it backing conservative politicians in the U.S. and Israel, shaping the political debate of both countries.
Sheldon Adelson, Conservative Donor And Casino Titan, Dies At 87
Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, one of the most prolific donors in conservative politics, died Monday night at the age of 87 due to complications from treatment for non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, according to a statement from Las Vegas Sands, the company he founded.
Adelson made his fortune â a net worth of around $35 billion according to an estimate by Forbes â in the casino hotel industry. He spent much of it backing conservative politicians in the U.S. and Israel, shaping the political debate of both countries.
He was in the first wave of superwealthy Americans to take advantage of the Supreme Court s controversial Citizens United ruling, which opened the doors to eight- and nine-figure political donations so long as the money goes to independent superPACs and not candidates or party committees.
“Sheldon built an incredible life and career,” McConnell said in a statement. “He climbed from sleeping on tenement floors during the Great Depression as a young boy to literally towering over Las Vegas and beyond. He created countless jobs in the process. And he poured his success into philanthropy – from drug abuse treatment to research into cancer and other diseases to the countless Jewish causes around the world that were especially close to his heart.”
Adelson’s spending went far beyond politics. He and his wife contributed millions of dollars to medical research and education, among other philanthropic causes.
Adelson made his massive fortune as the founder and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which included casinos and convention centers. He took the company public in 2004, setting off an explosion of wealth that made him one of the richest individuals in the world.