Compiled By NAN ET Editor
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. June 19, 2015: While the Caribbean is often dismissed as a poor region, several of its nationals who have attained celebrity status in the U.S. are proving they have the bucks to buy and sell many of the islands in their home region and to live large in the U.S. Here is the News Americas Now list of the top 10 wealthiest Caribbean-born U.S. celebs., many of whom who have also made the Forbes rich list.
1: Tim Duncan
USVI-born, NBA star Timothy Theodore “Tim” Duncan may have lost more than $25 million in investments due to an alleged dishonest financial adviser but the top B-baller is still sitting pretty!
The San Antonio Spurs’ Power forward, Center’s net worth is put at a whopping $130 million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. Most of all, he pulls in an annual salary of $ $19.1 million on the court plus $2 million in endorsements, making him one of the number 73 highest paid basketball players in the NBA according to Forbes.
Duncan was born in Christiansted on the Virgin Islands on April 25, 1976 and has been honored several times in his homeland with a “Tim Duncan Day” celebration, and the St. Croix medal of honor. He has won five NBA championships with the Spurs. Duncan has two kids.
2: Rihanna
Call her ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ but this Barbados-born singer, songwriter and actress has climbed to the top of the world with an estimated net worth of $120 million.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, 27. Pulls in a whopping US$40 million a year and is ranked as the #8 on the Forbes most powerful celebrity list. That’s a real feat considering Rihanna only moved to the United States at age sixteen to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter. Rihanna’s success includes a staggering number of awards, including but not limited to, three Grammys, three American music awards, and three Billboard music awards. Her side projects include acting, beauty and fashion endorsement for companies such as CoverGirl, Gucci, and Clinique, and numerable charity projects, including establishing her organization, The Believe Foundation, which benefits terminally ill children around the globe.
3: Patrick Ewing
Even though Jamaican-born Patrick Ewing is retired from the court, he is sitting atop a pile of cash with a reported net worth of $85 million.
The Kingston-born Ewing, who began his basketball career in 1981 at Georgetown University and went on to play for the New York Knicks, Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic, is currently the assistant head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats.
And it’s been the 30 years since the 7 foot giant was drafted but is the first basketball player to have his own shoe company! Who else can say that? Now the Ewing 33 Hi “Draft Lottery” has arrived at select retailers on June 5th for a retail price of $120 meaning this Jamaican’s net worth could soon rise further. Ewing is dad to three children.
4: Sammy Sosa
Dominican Republic-born professional baseball right fielder Sammy ‘Mikey’ Sosa is long retired from baseball put he is sitting on a pile of cash. Sosa, who played baseball from 1989 to 2007 during which time he played with four Major League Baseball teams, starting with the Texas Rangers in 1989, has a reported net worth of $70 million. The San Pedro De Macorís-born Sosa, 46, who retired from baseball in June 2009 amidst drug test controversy, is the only player to have hit 60 or more home runs in a single season three times. Today he says he’s a businessman and entrepreneur. Sosa is father to four children.
5: Nicki Minaj
Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj has been called a lot of names by some of her own including “fake” “loud” and “audacious” but she is raking in the dough. This Trini rapper and R&B singer-songwriter has a net worth of $50 million. Born Onika Tanya Maraj in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, Minaj was discovered by fellow American rapper, Lil Wayne, and soon after signed a deal with his Young Money Entertainment record label and management firm. Today she makes an annual salary of 14,000,000 and most impressively, the 31-year-old “Anaconda” rapper appeared at No. 11 on the Forbes list of top 25 highest-paid hip-hop acts in the world.
6: Kelsey Grammer
Yes actor, comedian, television producer, director, and writer Allen Kelsey Grammer is on this list because he was born in the Caribbean. The Saint Thomas, U.S.V.I-born Grammer has a net worth of $30 million dollars making him the number four riches Caribbean-born U.S. celebrity. Grammer, who is best known for his two-decade portrayal of character “Frasier Crane” on Cheers and Cheers spin-off sitcom Frasier has been married four times and has six children and one grandchild. His recently divorced wife Cammille Grammer is set to receive $30 million cash settlement putting a dent in Grammer’s wealth. Still he makes an annual salary of some $3,529,412 and Sponsorship/Endorsement amount at $784,314 so no chance he’ll go to the poor house anytime soon.
7: Shaggy
Surprise, Surprise but this Jamaican-American musician and DJ has a net worth of $22 million dollars. That’s right! The Grammy-winning reggae artist born Orville Richard Burrell, aka Shaggy, tops the list of the richest reggae/dancehall artists alive today. Three of his albums have been certified Platinum, and one was certified Gold. His hits include “Bombastic” and “It Wasn’t Me’ were chart toppers on US pop radio. The former United States Marine Corps has released a total of 12 studio albums including his 2013 all-reggae album ‘Out of Many, One Music.’ He has been credited with persuading The Voice winner Tessanne Chin to compete on the show. He also appeared in the 2004 film ‘Blast.’ His estimated salary per year is $2,666,000. Shaggy has two children.
8: Damian Marley
Grammy-winning singer Damian Jr. Gong Marley, son of legendary Reggae artist, Bob Marley and his then girlfriend Cindy Breakspeare, comes in at number 7 on this list with a reported net worth of $20 million dollars. Jr. Gong is a Rastafarian and his music reflects both his beliefs and the Rastafari guiding principles of one love, one planet, and freedom for all nations. He pulls in about 3,060,444 million per year making him one of the top earners in reggae. Damian has one son.
9: Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso, the Dominican-born Power forward, Center for the Atlanta Hawks, has come a long way from his days in Puerto Plata. Horford’s net worth is estimated to be at $17 million and he earn a base salary of $12,000,000 annually. Horford also plays for the Dominican Republic national team. For Horford Reynoso, basketball is a family affair. His father Tito became the League’s first Dominican-born player when he was drafted by the Bucks in 1988, and spent parts of three seasons in Milwaukee and Washington as a 7-1 center. He recently welcomed son with his wife, former Miss Universe Amelia Vega.
10: Orlando Hernandez
Cuban-born retired professional baseball player Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez may no longer be pitching daily but he is still one of the richest baseball players around. Hernandez’s net worth is put at US$13 million. The 49-year-old Villa Clara-born Hernandez won a championship in 2005 with the Chicago White Sox. He is well known for his extremely high leg kick and his frequent use of Eephus pitch. Last year he participated in the 68th annual Yankees Old Timers’ Day. El Duque is dad to two children.
