Becoming rich takes a lot of hard work and effort. But what if wealth slips from one’s hands after it has been attained? Fortunate people make their dream come true, but misfortune can have an evil eye on one’s success. Here is a list of five billionaire who fell prey to the misfortune and withered away their success that blossomed after years of hard work.

Eike Batista

Eike Batista made his name as a Brazilian business tycoon in mining, oil and gas sector. He emerged as one of the seventh richest persons in the world in 2012, recording an estimated income of US$30 billion (AU$ 40.9 million). In 2013, it was reported that Batista’s net earnings dropped to $200 million (AU$ 273 million) and had been continuously falling. The fall in Batista’s wealth was due to the inadequate management decisions and collapse of its oil gas exploration, including other economic issues. From March 2012 to January 2014, the mogul saw 100 percent downfall, which was reportedly the worst decline.

Batista, at present, is the chairman of Brazilian conglomerate EBX Group. According to Forbes, his net worth in 2014 was a negative US$1 billion (AU$1.4 billion).

Halsey Minor

Halsey Minor founded CNET network, one of the first successful profit ventures online, in 1993. It is a technology news website which Minor sold to CBS in 2008 at US$1.8 billion (AU$2.45 billion). His expensive taste for artworks and real estate was apparently the cause of his downfall, and which prompted him in debts of more than US$100,000 (AU$136,440), while his assets were listed only at US$50 million (AU$68 billion). His name was included in chapter 7 of bankruptcy in 2013 that forced him sell his San Francisco mansion.

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson founded Black Entertainment Television and had earnings worth US$3 billion (AU$4.01 billion). He was the first African American billionaire. While his wealth today at US$550 million (AU$750 million) still puts him up there with the rich and famous, it’s considerably down from his previous status as billionaire. A financially-crippling divorce from his wife of over 30 years and a stock market crash kicked him out of the exclusive billionaire club.

Kristina and Larry Dodge

The owners of American Sterling Bank, Kristina and Larry Dodge, had recorded net income of US$1 billion (AU$1.36 billion). They bathed in riches and spent a lot of money on their lavish lifestyle, which constituted one of the major reasons behind their downfall. The Dodge family promised to invest in several good causes, but their promises remained limited to their words only.

Jordan Belfort

He was worth over US$250 million (AU$341 million) in his 20s as a stockbroker. Not all his dealings were legal, though, and his greed became his downfall. He served four years in prison and was made to pay over US$100 million as restitution. The Academy Award-nominated film “The Wolf of Wall Street” was based on his memoir. Leonardo DiCaprio played him in the movie.

Kim Dotcom

German-Finnish web entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, born Kim Schmitz, had net worth earning of US$200 million (AU$ 273 million) as the founder of the now-defunct Megaupload, a file-hosting service. He served jail sentence for computer fraud and espionage in the ‘90s in Germany and had received suspended sentence in 2003 for insider trading and embezzlement. He is currently residing in New Zealand, where he formed his own political Internet Party. His wealth is currently in lockdown.

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