Bill Ackman Fires Back at Tucker Carlson, Shares His Life Story and Fortune’s Origin

NEW YORK – Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman took to X on Saturday night to hit back at conservative media personality Tucker Carlson, who recently accused him of being one of the “useless billionaires” connected to the late Jeffrey Epstein.

In a blistering monologue on TPUSA, Carlson suggested Ackman’s success stemmed from privilege and aggressive networking rather than skill. “Can you answer the question: How did Bill Ackman get $9 billion?” Carlson asked. “He’s well-connected and super aggressive; that’s it.”

Ackman responded by laying out his personal and professional journey — a detailed, point-by-point narrative aimed at dismantling Carlson’s claims and defending the legitimacy of his wealth.

No Ties to Epstein

Ackman began by flatly denying any connection to Epstein. “I never met Jeffrey Epstein, flew on his planes, went to any of his parties or properties, or interacted with him ever,” he wrote.

He clarified that his wife, Neri Oxman, received a $125,000 grant from Epstein during her time as a professor at MIT — before the couple had ever met. “She met Epstein once for 45 minutes… and that was the end of it.”

From Lawn Care to Wall Street

Ackman then recounted his early life and career, highlighting a classic American success story:

• As a child, he did odd jobs — washing cars, digging ditches, lawn care — to earn pocket money.

• His parents paid for his college and business school tuition, but he covered his own living expenses and worked during school.

• After college, he joined his father’s real estate mortgage firm, quickly becoming one of its top producers.

• He left to launch his own hedge fund, Gotham Partners, after graduating from Harvard Business School.

Cold Calls and First Breaks

Unable to rely on connections, Ackman said he raised his initial capital by cold-calling people on the Forbes 400 list. Eventually, he raised $2.8 million from six investors and built Gotham to $500 million under management.

After Gotham wound down during a high-profile fight with bond insurer MBIA — which later vindicated his position — he launched Pershing Square with backing from Leucadia National.

Pershing Square and the $9 Billion Path

Ackman’s net worth, he explained, now derives from:

1. Personal Investments: His investment in the Pershing Square funds has multiplied 56 times since inception.

2. Fund Ownership: He owns about half of the Pershing Square management company, recently valued at $9.5 billion.

3. Private Ventures: Ackman has invested in startups (including Coupang), venture capital, biotech, and real estate.

“I got a huge start with great parents and a wonderful education,” Ackman wrote. “But despite Tucker’s statements to the contrary, there were no scams — just decades of useful activity behind the wealth I’ve created.”

A Broader Impact

Ackman also touted the public value of his work, citing Pershing Square’s activist investing as a force for improved corporate governance. “We’ve made substantially more money for the public investors who invested alongside us than we’ve made for ourselves,” he said.

He also noted that the Pershing Square Foundation has granted over $900 million to charity, with another $900 million still uncommitted.

A Personal Swipe Back

Ackman said Carlson had previously made false market manipulation claims against him and never issued a promised retraction. “Tucker owes me an apology,” he wrote. “I know I’m not going to get one because he’s not man enough to care about the truth.”

He closed by turning the question back on Carlson: “While useless billionaires are bad, harmful millionaires are definitively worse.”