Putin is the world's richest by far owning $200 billion

Russian President Vladimir Putin's wealth is estimated to be at $200 billion, more than the known world's richest man Bill Gates' worth at $79 billion, says Hedge fund manager Bill Browder.

"I believe that [his wealth's] $200 billion. After 14 years in power of Russia, and the amount of money that the country has made, and the amount of money that hasn't been spent on schools and roads and hospitals and so on, all that money is in property, banks - Swiss bank accounts - shares, hedge funds, managed for Putin and his cronies," said Bill Browder, known for his large foreign investments in Russia, in answer to CNN's Fareed Zakaria's question with regards to Putin's wealth, on February 15.

"The power is very simple in Russia - whoever has the power to arrest people is the person in power. And so what Putin does is he has a bunch of guys around him who have the power to arrest people. And so it doesn't matter how rich you are, if you can be arrested, put in jail and have your money taken away, the guy who can do that to you is the most powerful person in Russia," Browder, the CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, added. Bill Browder, although previously sided by Putin, was expelled from Russia in 2005 as he was considered a dangerous figure to Russia's security.

Vladimir Putin, born in 1952, was also on top of the list for Forbes Magazine's 'Most Powerful Man of 2014'.

Putin, who served for 16 years as an officer and later rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in KGB, Comittee for State Security, has been in politics since 1991.

Putin, who previously served as Russia's prime minister between 1999-2000 and 2008 to 2012, became the Russian President in May 2012.

He has been widely criticised in the international political arena for becoming an authoritative leader, in addition to leading Russia's involvement in the ongoing crisis in Ukraine civil war.