Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin is preparing to abandon New York City after Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani filmed a tax announcement directly outside Griffin’s luxury penthouse, calling him out by name in what Griffin described as a frightening act of public intimidation.
Mayor Films Tax Announcement Outside Billionaire’s Home
Mamdani posted the video on April 15, announcing a new tax on luxury second homes within city limits. The mayor chose to film the announcement in front of the building housing Griffin’s penthouse, specifically naming the Citadel founder and disclosing what he paid for the property. Griffin told moderators at the Milken Global Conference the video went from creepy to frightening, especially considering the CEO of United Healthcare was killed just blocks from his residence.
“This has gotten frightening. The CEO of United Health was killed a few blocks from my house,” Griffin
Griffin’s Massive Contributions Ignored
The mayor failed to mention Griffin’s extraordinary generosity to New York City. Griffin and music mogul David Geffen donated four hundred million dollars to Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2023, the largest single donation the cancer center ever received. Griffin also contributed forty million dollars to the Museum of Modern Art, forty million to the Museum of Natural History, and fifteen million to the Robin Hood Foundation. His total gifts to city institutions reach approximately six hundred million dollars.
Five Thousand Jobs at Risk
Griffin’s companies Citadel and Citadel Securities employ approximately five thousand people in New York City. His firm is currently constructing the tallest skyscraper in Midtown on Park Avenue, a project that would typically earn mayoral celebration for job creation and economic development. Griffin has donated more than two point five billion dollars to education, opportunity, and health sciences initiatives throughout his career, according to Citadel’s website.
Businessman Questions City Leadership
Griffin expressed concern that the mayor’s actions could agitate political extremists on either side. He noted President Trump survived three assassination attempts, drawing a parallel to the dangerous environment created when public officials single out private citizens. The billionaire, who has previously disagreed with Trump on economic policy, praised the president’s resilience in facing repeated threats. Griffin’s comments suggest wealthy business leaders are reassessing their commitment to cities where political leadership publicly targets them for ideological purposes rather than partnering for mutual prosperity.