Marc Rich

Marc Rich was a controversial financier and commodities trader, known for founding the company Marc Rich + Co AG in the 1970s. He became a billionaire through innovative trading in oil and metals. However, he faced legal trouble in the 1980s for tax evasion and illegal trading with Iran during the U.S. embargo. He fled to Switzerland to avoid arrest, living there for years. In 2001, President Bill Clinton controversially pardoned Rich on his final day in office, which sparked significant public debate about the ethics of presidential pardons and wealthy influence in politics.