Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and the world’s third-richest person, has purchased a luxurious mansion in Miami’s exclusive ‘Billionaire Bunker’ for $68 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The deal was closed in June, a month after Bezos proposed to his longtime girlfriend, former news anchor and pilot Lauren Sanchez, with a $2.5 million diamond ring.
The mansion, located on Indian Creek Island, a man-made barrier island near Miami, was built in 1965 and expanded in 1985. It features 9,300 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and three bathrooms on a 2.8-acre lot. Bezos is expected to demolish the existing house and build a new mega mansion on the waterfront plot, which offers stunning views of Biscayne Bay.
Indian Creek Island: A haven for billionaires and celebrities
Indian Creek Island, also known as ‘Billionaire Bunker’, is one of the most exclusive and secure enclaves in the country. It has its own municipality, mayor, and police force, as well as a private 18-hole golf course that spans across 294 acres. The island has only about 40 waterfront properties, each facing the bay and boasting Brazilian teak docks where luxury yachts can be moored.
Bezos’ new neighbors include some of the most prominent and wealthy figures in the world, such as supermodel Adriana Lima, property magnate Jeff Soffer, singer and songwriter Julio Iglesias, car dealership mogul Norman Braman, retired NFL legend Tom Brady, and former White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Bezos’ real estate empire exceeds $500 million
The $68 million purchase adds to Bezos’ impressive real estate portfolio, which is estimated to be worth more than $500 million. The Amazon founder owns properties in various locations across the US, such as Beverly Hills, Seattle, Washington DC, and New York City. He also owns a 30,000-acre ranch in West Texas, where he operates his space exploration company Blue Origin.
Bezos is not the only tech billionaire who has been splurging on real estate lately. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently bought a $37.5 million mansion in Austin, Texas, where he plans to move his companies’ headquarters. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, also acquired two adjacent lakefront properties in Tahoe City, California, for $59 million last year.
Bezos continues to dominate the e-commerce and space industries
Bezos stepped down as the CEO of Amazon in July this year, handing over the reins to Andy Jassy, the former head of Amazon Web Services. However, he remains the executive chairman of the company and its largest shareholder. Under his leadership, Amazon became one of the most valuable and influential companies in the world, dominating the e-commerce, cloud computing, and streaming markets.
Bezos is also pursuing his passion for space exploration through his company Blue Origin, which aims to make space travel more accessible and affordable. In July, he made history by flying to the edge of space with his brother Mark Bezos, female aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and 18-year-old student Oliver Daemen aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. The flight lasted about 10 minutes and reached an altitude of 66 miles above Earth.
