Anthony Levandowski was once a successful businessman and engineer involved in the self-driving vehicles industry. At his peak, he was worth between $50 to $100 million. However, that has since changed due to legal issues, controversies, and bankruptcy. Currently, his net worth is -$50 million after being ordered to pay Google $179 million. In this article, we will explore Levandowski’s net worth and how he accumulated and lost his wealth.

Anthony Levandowski’s Biography

Levandowski was born in March 1980 in Brussels, Belgium. He showed an interest in technology and robotics at a young age. He studied Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at the University of California, Berkeley, earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

As a freshman, Levandowski launched an intranet service from his basement. In 2004, he partnered with other UC Berkeley engineers to build a self-driving motorcycle called Ghostrider. The motorcycle participated in the DARPA Grand Challenge and is now found in the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian Institution.

After graduation, Levandowski joined Silicon Valley and worked for companies like Google and 3com. During his time at Google, he worked on Street View, Google Maps, and a driverless car project called Waymo. Levandowski’s contribution and time at Google helped earn him an estimated $120 million.

Levandowski’s Involvement in Otto and Uber

Levandowski left Google in 2016 and started his company called Otto. Uber acquired Levandowski’s self-driving truck company, Otto, in 2016. Levandowski served as the President and co-founder of Otto. However, he was accused of stealing Google’s trade secrets, leading to many controversies.

Eventually, Uber was forced to settle the case for $245 million, leading to Levandowski filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. His debts were estimated to be between $100 to 500 million, while his assets were worth between $50 to 100 million.

Levandowski’s Legal Troubles

Levandowski has faced significant legal troubles throughout his career. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to stealing trade secrets from Google, leading to a sentence of 18 months and a fine of $95,000. He was ordered to pay Alphabet $756,499.22.

Anthony Levandowski’s Personal Life

Levandowski’s personal life has also faced scandals and controversies. He was allegedly involved in an extramarital affair with a colleague during the Google legal battle, leading to his departure from the company. Currently, he is married with two children, and not much is known about his personal life.

Levandowski’s Formation of Other Companies

Levandowski formed several companies during and after his time at Google, including Way of the Future (WOTF) Ventures. The organization aimed to develop an AI Godhead, which caused controversy. It shut down at the end of 2020, with its funds donated to the Legal Defense Fund under the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Conclusion

Although Anthony Levandowski once had a net worth of between $50 to 100 million, that has since changed. Due to legal troubles, controversies, and bankruptcy, his net worth is now -$50 million. Levandowski has faced significant scandals and controversies throughout his career, but will always be remembered for his involvement in the self-driving vehicles industry.