(January 8, 2026)

After the U.S. military abducted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, Wall Street watchers were quick to declare the biggest winner: Paul Singer, the $6.7 billion (net worth) hedge fund manager famous for investing in distressed assets around the world. Amber Energy, a Houston-based startup backed by Elliott, recently prevailed in a U.S. federal court auction to buy Venezuelan oil company Citgo, which owns three refineries in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois, plus a distribution network of 4,000 Citgo gas stations, for $5.9 billion – what many deem to be a steal.