Billionaire Larry Ellison pulled over for speeding on his own Hawaiian island: report

One of the richest men in the world couldn’t get away with speeding – not even on the island of Hawaii he owns.

Billionaire tech mogul Larry Ellison admitted to breaking the law after he was pulled over by a traffic cop on Lanai Island for speeding and driving under a stop sign, according to footage released this week.

Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and the sixth richest person in the world with a fortune estimated by Forbes at $108.3 billion, was driving his orange Corvette near Manele Road last October when he was pulled over by a highway officer.

“The reason I stopped you is because you passed a stop sign and were speeding,” an officer can be heard saying to Ellison. The footage was first obtained by Hawaii News Now.

“If yes, sorry,” replied Ellison, who bought up about 98% of Lanai’s property for $300 million more than a decade ago.

The officer then asked Ellison, “In particular, is there any reason?”

“I tried to get home for dinner with my kids, but there’s no excuse for that,” Ellison replied. – No good excuse.

The officer replied, “Okay, cool. Can I see your driver’s license, registration and insurance please?

Allison rummaged through his things for a couple of minutes. He then told the officer that he did not have his license with him.

An officer from the Maui Police Department who patrols Lanai gave Ellison a ticket.

The Post has asked for comment from Pulamu Lanai, Ellison’s holding company, which has a portfolio of real estate on the island.

Gabe Johnson, a local MP, praised the officer for enforcing the law against a man who is, for all intents and purposes, his landlord.

“Some communities, as we all know, let the elite just run wild,” Johnson, the Maui City Councilman representing Lanai, told Hawaii News Now.

“In order for one of our police officers to truly be treated as an equal, as everyone should be treated equally according to the law – I can proudly say, ‘Great job, MPD,’” he said.

Ellison has clashed with local authorities in several incidents in the past year.

Last month, Ellison’s plan to pay a $5 million bill to expand the runway at Lanai’s only airport sparked local opposition from critics who say it will benefit wealthy private jet owners while the island suffers more noise pollution. .

In August, a Lanai resident who described himself as a “disabled Native Hawaiian veteran” accused Ellison’s holding company of blocking his access to a local beach.

The complaint, filed by Russell deJetly, prompted local authorities to threaten Ellison with fines if he does not open public access to the park and gate near the popular Hulupo Beach Park.

A spokesman for Pulama Lanai told local media that the gates were closed to deal with flooding caused by heavy waves in July, a claim DeJetley denied. He said that access to the area was blocked even after the flood waters receded.

Earlier last year, Bloomberg News quoted several Lanai locals as complaining about the skyrocketing cost of living, which they said was exacerbated by Ellison’s property acquisition.

Since Lanai took control of the 90,000-acre island, small businesses have disappeared, while high-end restaurants like Nobu cater to a super-wealthy clientele.