John Paulson

John Alfred Paulson is an American investor and hedge fund manager. He leads Paulson & Co., a New York-based investment management firm he founded in 1994. He has been called “one of the most prominent names in high finance” and “a man who made one of the biggest fortunes in Wall Street history”.

• John Paulson made his fortune betting against subprime mortgages at the peak of the 2007 credit bubble.
• His hedge fund firm, Paulson & Co., was started in 1994 and enjoyed success as a niche fund until Paulson put on his “big short.”
• Paulson’s foundation has committed nearly $2 billion to charity.
• Paulson’s hedge funds managed $36 billion at their peak, but by the end of 2018 they totaled about $6 billion.
• A Queens native, Paulson had stints at several firms, including Boston Consulting Group and Bear Stearns, before founding Paulson & Co.