Richard Branson. One of the most famous, richest and luckiest people in Great Britain. An entrepreneur without fear or reproach. Creator of a business empire under the Virgin Group brand. This image has been replicated by all media in the world. But how much truth is there in it? Journalist Tom Bower, biographer of such celebrities as Bernie Ecclestone, Conrad Black and Robert Maxwell, undertook his own investigation into the brilliant success story of the extravagant “business hipster” and his brainchild. And I found out that a significant part of this image is fake. The rebel pioneer turned into a cynical businessman (or always was). An innovative company that declared loud and noble goals became a loose conglomerate of not very successful enterprises. The legendary brand is a dummy with no heritage, no future (and was there anything behind the Virgin brand other than desperate self-promotion). All that remains with Branson today, says Tom Boeur, is money hidden offshore, and even those turned out to be somewhat less than they used to think. But they will still have to be protected from the British tax authorities... In any case, the story of how exactly Branson made this money, how this money made his name and how much this name is actually worth is much more interesting than the most publicized myths.