Adnan Khashoggi (1935–2017) was a Saudi businessman and arms dealer known for his wealth, high-profile connections, and influence in global trade. Dubbed “The Great Gatsby of the Middle East,” he amassed a fortune as an intermediary between Western defense firms and the Saudi government.
Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Khashoggi was the son of Muhammad Khashoggi, a physician to King Abdul Aziz Al Saud. He studied at Victoria College in Egypt and attended U.S. universities before leaving to pursue business. He founded Triad International Holding Company, managing investments in luxury hotels, oil refineries, and real estate. His extravagant lifestyle, marked by lavish parties and celebrity guests, made him a media fixture.
During the Cold War, Khashoggi facilitated major arms deals between U.S. firms and Middle Eastern governments. His business dealings later led to legal troubles, including alleged involvement in the Iran-Contra affair. By the 1990s, he faced financial difficulties, losing much of his wealth.
Biographies such as Anita Raghavan’s The Billionaire’s Apprentice: The Rise of the Indian-American Elite and the Fall of the Galleon Hedge Fund (2013) and Ronald Kessler’s The Great Gatsby of the Middle East: The Extravagant Life and Times of Adnan Khashoggi (2017) detail his rise, fall, and role in the global arms trade.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Adnan Khashoggi
If you act like you’re rich, you’ll get rich.
—Adnan Khashoggi
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