Multi-millionaire and founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner, sure has made a name for himself. Hefner passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91 in his home in Beverly Hills, and the natural question that follows is "how much did he leave behind, and who gets what?"
At the height of the magazine's success, Hefner's net worth was estimated at $200 million. However, in a report by Heavy, at the time of his death his net worth was estimated at around $50 million and he owned an estimated 35 percent of the total Playboy brand, and 100 percent of the Playboy magazine.
Hefner founded the most successful and recognized men's magazine in the world in 1953 at the age of 27. Playboy hit its peak in the mid-1970s. In 1971 alone, the magazine was selling an average of 70 million copies per month which is a staggering amount compared to the nationwide sales of 50,000 issues.
The large difference in the two amounts is due to several reasons, such as a buyout that lost Hefner majority of his share in Playboy and the presence of new players in the industry providing fierce competition. Maxim eventually dethroned Playboy in terms of sales as circulation of Playboy dropped to only 800,000 in 2015.
According to Refinery 29, Hefner did spend his money in charitable acts. He has donated $2 million to the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts and $95,000 to Democratic candidates between 1990 and 2000 (with his daughter, Christie). Hefner and Jenny McCarthy also raised money for Autism research in the past.
The wealth he left behind will be divided between his four children, the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, and select charities. His wife at the time of his death, Crystal Harris, will be "taken care of" but will not inherit anything.
