Leon Charney was born in 1938 and died in 2016.
He was an American real estate tycoon, author, philanthropist, political pundit, media personality and Jewish cantor.
He resided in Manhattan in New York City, which he divided his time between his residences in Tel Aviv and Boca Raton, Florida.
During March 2012, Forbes listed Charney as #353 among the wealthiest Americans.
Leon was a graduate of Yeshiva University where he participated in demonstrations to free Soviet Jewry.
He was best known as a New York real estate baron, but in recent years, his role as one of the backdoor players integral to sealing the Camp David Peace Treaty between Israel and Egypt has emerged.
During 1979, Leon Charney played a vital role as the unofficial adviser to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, mostly well known for his behind-the-scenes role in the Camp David Accords which created the first comprehensive peace between Israel and Egypt in 1978 and 1979.
During 2008, over some thirty years later, Charney, a major real estate owner in New York’s Times Square, appeared for the first time on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans, debuting at #321.
However, in the 2009 list, he had been the first to reflect the world financial crisis, indicates Charney’s net worth had fallen in the year before that, although his rank had jumped to #296, up 35 notches, indicating that while he lost wealth, he lost relatively less than other fellow billionaires.
And, for 2010, Charney ranked #308 on the Forbes 400.
Leon Charney passed away in 2016.