As some peeps have already said, I think the story about Romans' selling either the club of his Yacth is hogwash. The only Billionaire that i know of selling his club is Bjorgflur Gudmundsson. See excerpts below. So haters, make una try somewhere else.

Billionaire Blowups of 2008
by Luisa Kroll
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
provided by


© Kamal Narang/Business Line/The Hindu
Anil Ambani

Dozens of the world's wealthiest lost billions in recent months, but these 10 distinguish themselves for some of the biggest flops.

It was a dreadful year for the world's wealthiest as markets and currencies around the world tumbled.

More than 300 of the 1,125 billionaires we tallied on our annual list last March have since lost at least $1 billion; several dozen lost more than $5 billion. The 10 richest from our 2008 rankings dropped some $150 billion of wealth, dragged down by steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, estranged brothers Mukesh and Anil Ambani and property baron K.P. Singh, who together dropped $100 billion. America's 25 biggest billionaire losers of 2008 lost a combined $167 billion.

More from Forbes.com:

• In Pictures: Billionaire Blowups, 2008

• In Pictures: America's 25 Biggest Billionaire Losers

• In Pictures: The Biggest CEO Firings of 2008 

But even in such an awful year, the stories of a few billionaires and now former billionaires stand out as particularly dreadful.

Take David Ross, one of the UK.'s most successful entrepreneurs. Earlier this month, Ross notified four public companies in which he was a major shareholder and director that he had borrowed against his shares to fund real estate investments that had soured. He will likely have to sell some of those stakes to pay off his debts. So far he has resigned from three of the four boards and stepped down from his post as an Olympics adviser. His fortune, which we estimated at $1.4 billion in March, is now worth about $150 million.

[b]Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, former chairman and a large shareholder in Landsbanki, Iceland's second largest bank, saw the firm seized in October as the worst of the credit crisis tore through the island nation. The failure wiped out his $1.1 billion fortune. He has since had to put his holding company, Hansa, into voluntary liquidation and is selling his UK. soccer team, West Ham.[/b]Russians were some of the biggest losers in the past year. Vladimir Lisin's Novolipetsk Iron and Steel is down three-fourths since its June peak. Dmitry Rybolovlev's fertilizer company, Uralkali, has fallen 90% since it peaked around the same time.

But those losses pale compared with the troubles facing Oleg Deripaska. In March he was the world's ninth richest person and Russia's richest man, with a fortune we estimated to be worth $28 billion. Since then Deripaska has been forced to sell shares in Canadian carmaker Magna International and German construction firm Hotchief, and had to borrow $4.5 billion from a state-controlled bank to hold on to his stake in Norilsk Nickel. He will likely sell off additional assets to avoid losing even more of his fortune, now estimated at $10 billion. Or less.

The biggest loser of all was Anil Ambani. Touted on the cover of our 2008 billionaires issue for having added $24 billion to his fortune in one year, Ambani has dropped $30 billion since then. But don't worry too much. His Reliance Entertainment is investing $500 million in a new studio venture with Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks. Plus, he remains quite wealthy, worth $12 billion That's something many others can't claim.


In Pictures: Billionaire Blowups, 2008

1. Anil Ambani

March net worth: $42 billion
Current net worth: $12 billion


© AP Photo
Oleg Deripaska 

The biggest billionaire gainer last March is now the year's biggest loser. Ambani lost $30 billion in the past nine months, more than anyone in the world. Stock of his telecom company dropped after his estranged brother helped scuttle a deal with African telecom MTN. It's quite an achievement in a year in which three of his fellow countrymen--estranged brother Mukesh, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and Indian KP Singh, all of whom ranked earlier among the world's 10 richest--lost more than $20 billion apiece.

2. Oleg Deripaska

March net worth: $28 billion
Current net worth: less than $10 billion

Former metals trader survived Russia's gangster wars but may not withstand collapsing markets and heavy debts of at least $14 billion. Russia's one-time richest man recently received a $4.5 billion loan from a state-controlled bank in order to keep his 25% stake in Norilsk Nickel, which faced a margin call by Western banks from which he had borrowed. Other margin calls forced him to divest a $1.5 billion stake in Canadian carmaker Magna International and a $500 million stake in German construction company Hotchief. He's also selling stake in insurance company Inogsstrakh.

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Visit the Banking & Budgeting Center 

3. Anurag Dikshit

March net worth: $1.6 billion
Current net worth: $1 billion

Dikshit designed the software for PartyGaming's successful PartyPoker game, which allowed live gambling over the Web. He left the company and sold a chunk of shares in 2006, the year the US. government banned gaming. He recently pleaded guilty to violating US. gaming laws and agreed to forfeit $300 million. He could face up to two years in jail but apparently won't be sentenced until 2010. He has already paid $100 million of his fine and will pay the rest in two installments next year.


© Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images
Bjorgflur Gudmundsson

4. Bjorgflur Gudmundsson

March net worth: $1.1 billion
Current net worth: zero

The October collapse and government seizure of Iceland's second largest bank wiped out the $1.1 billion fortune of Gudmundsson, the bank's chairman and biggest shareholder, along with his son Thor. His holding company, Hansa, has since gone into voluntary liquidation and is looking for a buyer for its UK. soccer team, West Ham. It's not the first time he's run into trouble. A former shipping executive, he was charged with fraud and embezzlement in relation to the firm's 1985 collapse, and was eventually found guilty on five minor counts and sentenced to 12 months' probation.

5. Luis Portillo

March net worth: $1.2 billion
Current net worth: $15 million

Spain's short-lived real estate gold rush left one of its most visible speculators holding a nearly empty bag. Portillo--who acquired real estate firm Inmocaral three years ago, then led the takeover of the larger Inmobiliaria Colonial in 2006--personally borrowed a reported $1.4 billion from more than a dozen banks during boom times, using his stock as collateral. He resigned as chairman in December 2007 and then tried to sell his stake to a Dubai fund earlier this year. When the deal fell through, he had to sell most of shares to pay debts.

Click here for the full list of the Billionaire Blowups of 2008.

Additional reporting by Tatiana Serafin, Russell Flannery, Naazneen Karmali and Cristina von Zeppelin

Copyrighted, Forbes.com. All rights reserved.


excerpt from , http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/106352/Billionaire-Blowups-of-2008




Having said that I think Chelsea really need to get their acts together in this New Year, the greatest thing we always had going for us was the team spirit and ne'er say die attitude. That i think is what Scolari really needs to work on. It's the same players just a different attitude,

Happy New year to all Chelsea fans. Somze, Ibime Akola, FBS, Cabali, Niyoo, Lalaboi, Just2nice, Razorr, Tng, Hot-Chic (that name!! Chei) and all others I can mention now. . . wishing evryone of you guys a prosperous new year. Hope Roman releases some money for the transfer window and LPS finds a lasting solution to our point-dropping peformances. .

It's the new year . . .Jan1st and the transfer window opens. . . we should start discussing transfers



@Ibime,

If this article posted by niyoo is anything to go by . . then it justifies my argument of Roman losing only hundreds of millions as opposed to billions reported by the "MEN IN MEDIA". . . what better source to see that than Forbes. . .

Unfortunately the new year has been opened up with the most disturbing news at least to me. . .

Wayne Bridge's transfer to ManCity. . . it's been on for a while now but it looks like he might be leaving for close to £15m. . thots on this please, . .

My first question is who replaces Ashley Cole when injured? . . We have Van Holt from reserves. . . and he's good but that's it!

What of that black boy on loan to Norwich. I don forget him name. Anyway, £12m is a good deal for us. Let him go. Lets go and buy that Congo boy who is on loan to West Ham from Toulouse. Herita Illunga. Good player.

Chelsea's £10m target for winger Hartem Ben Arfa is becoming stronger.

@Ibime,


Which black boy? . . . Chelsea player?
We actually do have younger players in reserves that can take his place. . . If we get £12m, we should get a winger, a CM or a creative attacker. . . not buy to replace Bridge.

It's looks like Alex is leaving after all. . unfortnately, Michael Manciene has extended his loan at Wolves to Jan29. . .

nateevs:

Which black boy? . . . Chelsea player?

Yeah. . . . Ryan Bertrand. . . .England Under-21 International.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Bertrand

Oh! Bertrand. . . I didn't quickly remember, I actually did not know he was on loan to Norwich. .

It will sadden me to see Wayne Bridge as he is a good player and has served Chelsea when called upon.However,a bid of 12 million pounds and above is certainly a good piece of business especially in the light of Abramovich's financial difficulties.Like Nateevs said ,we should use the money to buy an attacking player,of which I would have liked either Di Maria of Benfica or Valencia of Wigan coming to Chelsea.Those players will add more dimension to our attacking play.
It seems we are going to lose Arshavin to Arsenal after all.That guy would have given us more flexiblity in attack since he can seamlessly fit into a 4-4-2 as a second striker or 4-3-3 formation as a winger.No problem though;let's just hope PK make the right buys.

Chelsea have given Bridge permission to talk and agree personal term with ManCity.
Meanwhile as opposed to reported earlier, Michael Manciene has been recalled back from loan. "He won't go back on loan" according to LPS and is ready to join the first team.


This to me indicates that Alex is out. Although LPS says it's about injuries, I think not.


In another related development, according to the sun, THE SUN? . . . .ACMilan have stepped up their £10m bid for Alex. . .



So just as I am not happy that we sell Bridge and Alex, I think it will free up funds - up to £25m and perhaps £35m if Malouda leaves - to bring in one CM and a Winger or rather one Winger and an adaptable CM like Arshavin.
Another thing is that young players like Manciene, Bruma, VanHolt and Bertrand can have a shot at first team feature.

It's been a long time we created some proper competition up front. . . like in those days were we had Cole, Robben, Duff, SWP, Guddy, Drogba, Crespo etc all fighting for 3 spots only. . . now we have Malouda, Kalou, Drog, Anelka and Cole. . . . we gone from heroics to bollocks. . . Time for a change. . . .

Yury Zhirkov is on his way according to rumours. He is a left winger, but he played left back at the Euro's. Two-in-one replacement for Bridge and Malouda.

LPS might be looking to bring in CSKA Mocsow's Yuri Zhirkov according to rumours. . . . I like this guy. . I don't know if anyone saw this match but check out this goal against Hamburg. . .


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hhjJuc2Qxek


Zhirkov, Ben Arfa?

@Ibime,

Hey man you are always reading my mind. . . .

Ben Arfa is bad news. Bad personality. The guy is a narcissist.

Ibime:

Ben Arfa is bad news. Bad personality. The guy is a narcissist.

Yeah! I know exactly how you feel . . . especially when I remember our one and only Drogba. . . but it's very hard for me to separate Ben's abilities from his personality. . . I wish he was cool headed. . . . well he is available for £10m. . .

Why is he available for £10 when Marseille signed him for 18m euros in the summer (Since £ and Euro are now the same, that means they will make an 8m euro loss in just 6 months.) Unlike you guys, I have never rated Ben Arfa. He is all promise and no delivery. Why would Lyon sell him to their greatest rivals? He is not a Chelsea player. All I see is dressing room disharmony.

A Yuri Zhirhov bid will not be out of place sha . . .  with Bridge's imminent departure,that guy will give us some cover on the left since he can play both at left back or in a more attacking position on the left side of midfiled . . . and he wouldn't be that expensive.A bid around the region of 10-12 million pounds would do it.
As for Arfa;that he is temperamental is news to me . . . and Scolari is not much of a disciplinarian to handle volatile players like that.We already have our hands full with Drogba and I don't think we need another hot-head like that in our club.Maybe we should explore other options like Marko Marin and Ozil of Schalke 04.

Bros na here u come here put?

Maybe we should explore other options like Marko Marin and Ozil of Schalke 04.

Na wa oh for all these EPL fans. Marin and Ozil in Schalke? More than three quarters of EPL fans are idiots!!!!

Even Ribery plays in hertha Berlin and Diego in Hoffenheim

lol. Leave the guy alone jor. Stop being pedantic mehn.

My God!!!!. . . 89th min equalizer. . . . I just knew all day that this was going to happen. . how many times have we seen this. . ?

see useless cheksli o

shame nor catch una?

yup dats wat u get from a dumb ass coach like scolari who lacks good motivation. i weep for my team

Abramovich go dey make up him mind to sack LPS.

Is it not Hilarious that someone just transfered Ozil and marko marin to Schalke on the pages of NL?

Because they heard Ibime having pipe dreams about Ozil and Marin he just lumped the 2 of them into Schalke

Instead of just stopping at their names, he went ahead to name their "club" Overskill na im dey kill monkey

When i say that EPL fans are ignorant and dont know anything about mainland Europe you see what I mean?

Oh well,

Like I said . . . Sack Scolari

Chelski, unu chop[b] DRAW [/b] soup ?

If you can't beat Southend at WANKford Bridge, that's a biiiiigg shame

Shame on u guys. U na go play draw again. nawa for u

Yet another draw . . . and a late one at that again.So,if Chelsea finds it difficult to break down and win games against smaller clubs like Southend,then Scolari will surely have his hands full trying to scrape out 3 points from the likes of Man Utd,Juventus and other big clubs later in the season.He had better find a winning formula fast as these draws aint doing our reputation any good.

@ Nateevs, A gr8 new year to ya as well. It goes out also to all the fans of chelsea.

But it seems scolari is still with his old ways. Seems to be an Incurable draw disease. I think at this point he should be ashamed of himself. He has passed the era for excuses.