Gary Winnick, who rode the dot-com boom to briefly become the wealthiest businessman in Los Angeles before his star imploded in a scandal that came to represent the era's excesses, has died. He was 76. Winnick died unexpectedly Saturday at his historic and extravagant Bel-Air home, which he had recently put on the market for $250 million, making it the most expensive residential listing in the United States.
The offer pleased some employees but was also criticized as stingy, with one former employee saying it was like 'having somebody pick your pocket and then offering to give you back lint.' Winnick also contributed $55 million to a $324-million settlement with shareholders and former employees who had sued Global Crossing executives and directors for securities fraud.