>(why would anyone with $50 million or whatever it is want such a luxury house (Malibu) plus the others, the jet, helicopters, cars, even the bloody watches - can't he think of anything better to do with the money - even something more tasteful, never mind more beneficial to others!) <

IMO - it is probably wrong to think of Rawat having $millons in hard cash - or even that the obvious assets - houses etc represent face value wealth. Rawat I'm sure believes his own propaganda about being a 'successful investor' yet the evidence for his success is only in the negative - the South American land was a disaster and it looks like even the Amaroo/Myrine scam may only have paid out for Rawat on the back of some unusual accounting practices. Even then he may have had to take a loss to ensure he held onto the Fig Tree Pocket property by hurriedly unscrambling it from the Myrine fiasco.

The real question perhaps is not how much does Rawat own - but how much of the assets that Rawat has use of, are in fact actually owned by banks via mortgages and secured loans. I'd say Rawat was a 'monopoly' investor - buying up whatever square his 'fancy' lands on and paying for it with a mortgage on the previous enthusiasm. That's why he needs to keep with the 'Knowledge act'. If he were to retire - not only would he lose his favourite toys - the GSV and the helicopters but the associated income streams - the personal donations, the giving in kind from the ultra rich lifestyle supporters - would also fall away,  leaving Rawat with little to show the banks that he's good for anything more than a beach hut south of Mumbai.

I don't doubt that over the last 35 years something in excess of $250million at todays  values has been drawn in by the cult and that vast amounts of that have acrued to Rawat personally - but the guy's a waster, not only can he not do something beneficial to others but he is equally incapable of building something more selfishly material that has any lasting impact.

The premies of course say 'he's only human' - but what a sorry example of our species he is.

Nik