Roll call of the rich

Fort Worth billionaire Alice Walton reigns as world's wealthiest woman

Alice Walton is back on top as the world's richest woman in 2025. Getty Images

More billionaires have made it onto the 2025 World's Billionaires List than ever before, but few appear higher on the list than Fort Worth billionaire Alice Walton. The Walmart heiress is the wealthiest woman in the world in 2025, Forbes says.

Walton knocked French L’Oreal Beauty heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyersdown to second place late last year and retains her spot on top for 2025. Walton is the 15th richest person on the planet.

Forbes declared Walton's net worth at $101 billion, which is $28.7 billion more than her 2024 net worth of $72.3 billion. She is now one of 15 individuals to claim 12-figure fortunes, also known as the "$100 Billion Club."

Walton, 74, is the only daughter of late Walmart founder Sam Walton; the Waltons collectively are the world's richest family.

"Walton ranks as the 15th richest person in the world, a few spots behind her brothers Rob Walton, 80, and Jim Walton, 76, who are worth $110 billion and $109 billion, respectively," Forbes says.

Rob Walton, Alice Walton, Jim Walton, Walton family, Walmart heirs, billionaires, world's richest Siblings and Walmart heirs Rob, Alice, and Jim Walton belong to the world's richest family. Photo by Rick T. Wilking/Getty Images

While she devotes most of her time and energy now to her Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in her native Bentonville, Arkansas, Forbes still lists her residence as Fort Worth.

"Last August, Walton’s Art Bridges Foundation reported that it had gifted another $249 million to help fund a new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville that will 'enhance traditional medical education with the arts, humanities, and whole health principles,'" Forbes wrote in a profile about Walton.

Walton has donated nearly $6 billion to five family charitable foundations over the last decade, Forbes says, demonstrating a clear pursuit for a legacy different from her siblings, Rob and Jim, who serve on the Walmart board of directors.

Other Fort Worth-area billionaires that made Forbes 2025 list of the world's richest include:

Private equity investor Robert Bass: tied for No. 605 with an estimated net worth of $5.8 billion, up from $5.3 billion in 2024
Airplane leasing industry creator Steven Udvar-Hazy: tied for No. 823, $4.4 billion, up from $4.2 billion (based in Westlake)
Oil heir and investor Sid Bass: tied for No. 1015, $3.6 billion, down from $3.8 billion
Oil heir and historical preservationist Edward Bass: tied for No. 1462, $2.5 billion, flat from 2024
Oil heir and cattle ranch owner Lee Bass: tied for No. 1626, $2.2 billion, flat from 2024
Real estate and hospitality honcho John Goff: tied for No. 1850, $1.9 billion, flat from 2024
Goosehead Insurance cofounders Mark and Robyn Jones: tied for No. 2623, $1.2 billion, up from $1 billion

Cliburn gala 2018, John Goff, Cami Goff, Sasha Bass, Ed Bass John Goff (left, with wife Cami Goff) and Ed Bass (right, with wife Sasha Bass) made the Forbes billionaires list. Photo by Joyce Marshall

Missing from the 2025 list is homebuilder D.R. Horton founder Donald R. Horton, who died in May 2024 at age 74. His widow Marty and his sons Reagan and Ryan Horton inherited shares in the family’s more than 10 percent stake in the business, Forbes says. The younger Hortons tied for No. 1689 on the billionaires list with an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion each. His wife ranked No. 2933 on the list with a net worth of $1 billion.

Elsewhere in Texas, Austin billionaire Elon Musk topped Forbes list as the world's richest person in 2025. The Tesla and SpaceX founder knocked French luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault down to second place this year.

Forbes declared Musk the first person to reach the $300 billion status. His current net worth stands at $342 billion, which is a staggering $147 billion more than his 2024 net worth.

"It’s another record-breaking year for the world’s richest people, despite financial uncertainty for many and geopolitical tensions on the rise," said Forbes senior editor of wealth Chase Peterson-Withorn. "And, from Elon Musk to Howard Lutnick and the other billionaires taking over the U.S. government, they’re growing more and more powerful."

alice walton billionaires elon musk forbes fort worth lists richest woman wealth

Robbery News

7 Fort Worth area agencies team up to put armed robber behind bars

Fort Worth Police department FWPD

An armed serial robber and convicted felon was found guilty of robbing five cash loan businesses across Fort Worth in May 2024, according to a release from Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

On March 26, following a two-and-a-half day trial, a jury convicted Charles Lenard Brownlee of one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to evidence presented at trial, Brownlee went on a spree, robbing five Cash Store businesses in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine between May 9-21. To elude detection, he wore a medical mask and different baseball caps and outfits.

Detectives from the Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine police departments reviewed hours of surveillance footage from nearby businesses and were able to ascertain that Brownlee used the same vehicle—a black Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a blue fuzzy steering-wheel cover—to drive to and from each of the five robberies.

An eyewitness saw the robber drop a Black & Mild cigarillo as he was running from one of the robberies, and also saw him get into the SUV with the blue fuzzy steering wheel covering. Law enforcement retrieved that cigarillo for DNA testing. The FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team testified that the cellular phones tied to Brownlee placed him at or near each Cash Store location when it was robbed.

For two of the robberies, Brownlee enlisted the help of his girlfriend and co-conspirator, who testified that she and Brownlee conspired to rob the Fort Worth and Euless Cash Stores—driving there together in the black Hyundai SUV and with her serving as the getaway driver. She also testified that after committing these “licks” (robberies), Brownlee planned to target jewelry stores and ultimately obtained a Mini Draco-style firearm to do so, since that gun had more “muscle.”

Shortly after the May 21 Grapevine robbery, Brownlee was arrested, and authorities found a bunch of evidence as well as guns. Brownlee’s cell phone showed he had conducted multiple online searches of and for Cash Stores during the time span of the robbery spree. The jury also saw videos and images from Brownlee’s and his co-conspirator’s phones showing them posing with piles of cash and Brownlee smoking a Black & Mild cigarillo like the one dropped at the Euless robbery.

Brownlee faces a minimum of 35 years and up to life in federal prison. His sentencing date is set for July 11.

His co-conspirator pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery and faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. She will be sentenced on April 8.

FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said in a statement that teamwork makes the dream work, stating "the collaboration with multiple agencies from Tarrant County resulted in a successful guilty verdict and sends a message that we will not tolerate acts of violent crime in our communities.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency, Grand Prairie Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Euless Police Department, Hurst Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric B. Chen and Levi Thomas prosecuted and tried the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gordon for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support.

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