3. Liu Jin (1452-1510)

Occupation: Court eunuch

Source of wealth: Graft

Assets: Gold and silver

Claim to fame: Inspired morality tales on the danger of greed

A fabulously wealthy court eunuch of China’s Ming dynasty, Liu Jin abused his office to amass a great fortune. When he was finally executed for treason, he was found to have 12 million ounces of gold and 259 million ounces of silver. By comparison, the treasury of the imperial palace had only 30 million to 70 million ounces of silver when the dynasty fell. However, reports of Liu Jin’s wealth might have been grossly exaggerated, since chroniclers used his story to warn what can happen when an imperial eunuch annoys enough people.

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