This post is part of our feature on Money Winners of 2008. See all 20.

Well, "my pal Warren" did it again. "The richest man in the world" -- it has a nice ring to it.

Though the moniker did not last throughout the year due to the violent markets, and his significant holdings in insurance, Geico and General RE; banking, US Bancorp (NYSE: USB) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC); and credit card company American Express (NYSE: AXP), which all dropped, he is still viewed as the top investment guru in the world, deserving his title -- the Oracle of Omaha. These are likely only temporary setbacks and he may very well be back on top soon.

Warren Buffett has been alternating places with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) founder Bill Gates over the past decade. Since Microsoft shares are only down about 35% this year, less than the overall market, and since that remains his largest holding, Gates edged out Buffett at last measure. Although Buffett is notorious for not investing in "tech-stocks," he has stated he did buy 100 shares of Microsoft after he and Gates became friends.

It has been quite a year indeed for Buffett because in all the market turmoil he has remained very active, and he has advised both presidential candidates when asked, though he has supported the Democratic Party and president-elect Barack Obama, who has more actively sought his advice as of late.

Continue reading Money winners of 2008: Warren Buffett, briefly the "world's richest man" again

Money winners of 2008: Warren Buffett, briefly the "world's richest man" again originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Warren Buffett, the most worshiped investor on the planet, is being accused of authorizing a sham reinsurance transaction to help American International Group (NYSE: AIG) cook its books. Meanwhile, more details of Buffett's proposed reinsurance deal for the bond insurance industry suggests he has not lost any of his business savvy.

Bloomberg News reports that a lawyer for Ronald Ferguson, former General Re CEO, accused Buffett of approving a sham reinsurance transaction to help AIG cook its books. The trial suggests that in 2000 General Re aided phony accounting at AIG, and Buffett has so far been avoiding testifying in this trial.

Prosecutors claim the deal fraudulently helped AIG add $500 million in loss reserves, a crucial indicator of an insurer's health. Ferguson, who reported to Buffett after Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) bought General Re, is suggesting through his lawyer, Michael Horowitz, that Buffett knew details of the transaction and approved a $5 million fee that AIG paid to General Re.

Meanwhile, Buffett's plan to rescue bond insurers through reinsurance would offer Berkshire an enormous profit.

Continue reading Is Saint Warren a reinsurance sinner?

Is Saint Warren a reinsurance sinner? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Warren Buffett just invested in a hopefully safer world. Along with CNN founder Ted Turner and former US Senator Sam Nunn, Warren Buffett has pledged $50 million to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Channelled through the Washington, D.C.-based Nuclear Threat Initiative, the money will be used to fund a nuclear fuel bank under the supervision of the IAEA. Countries such as Iran and North Korea will be discouraged from developing their own nuclear programs. Instead, these countries, as well as others, will have access to fuel-grade uranium that will be manufactured and stored according to strict international safety standards. Mr. Buffett is on the advisory board of the Nuclear Threat Initiative. He hopes the $50 million contribution will prod other governments, including the US, to provide an additional $100 million to support an international nuclear development and control program.

In other news related to Mr. Buffett, four additional former executives of Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary General Re were indicted on 20 September 2006 on charges that in 2000 they helped falsify financial data from huge insurance company AIG to make it look like AIG had higher loss reserves that it actually did. This false data was then used to manipulate AIG's stock price. Mr. Buffett testified during the preliminary phase before any indictments were handed down. He was not accused of any wrong doing. Three of the executives, Ronald Ferguson, Elizabeth Monrad, and Robert Graham, face possible sentences of 230 years in prison each as well as fines of up to $46 million apiece if convicted on all counts. A fourth executive, Christopher Garand, faces up to 160years in prison and fines totaling up to $29.5 million if convicted on all counts. The Department of Justice is being assisted in its prosecution by two other former General Re executives, John Houldsworth and Richard Napier, each of whom have already pled guilty to falsifying SEC documents. They are awaiting sentencing.

General Re was also in the news today for calling a shareholder meeting of its German subsidiary, Cologne Re. General Re already owns 95.2% of Cologne Re and wants to force recalcitrant shareholders to sell the remaining shares. The brief statement gives no explanation for the timing of the request for action nor a price for the remaining shares.

Warren Buffett goes non-nuclear originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.