I personally don't get the Putin thing, at all (nor does it seem to be well sourced). Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, so of course the royal family can ef

I personally don't get the Putin thing, at all (nor does it seem to be well sourced). Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, so of course the royal family can effectively use the nation's money as their bank account. But why and how would Putin amass hundreds of billions privately? A few billion is enough to meet any personal needs if he retires, and he currently has extreme political power. What would his holdings look like and how would they be so well hidden? The only way to reach a 10 or 11 figure net worth in the West is to own a lot of a public company.