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100 richest people: Meet the 10 richest Americans

The 100 richest people in the world gained $241 billion in net worth last year, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. Americans dominated the list, occupying five of the top 10 spots. This countdown of the top 10 wealthiest Americans features a casino mogul, software tycoons, and a lot of Wal-Mart money. 

6. Christy Walton

Seth Perlman/AP/File
In this 2011 photo, the Wal-Mart logo is displayed in Springfield, Ill.

Net worth: 28.7 billion

Wealth source: Wal-Mart, First Solar

Residence: Jackson, Wyo.

World Ranking: 11th

Christy Walton is the widowed second wife of John T. Walton, who passed away in 2005. In addition to a 9.8 percent stake in Wal-Mart, she has made a fortune in shares from First Solar, the second-largest solar panel manufacturer in the world.  She’s been the richest woman in the world for seven years running, and the top-ranking female philanthropist as rated by Condé Nast, which ranks donors by the percentage of their wealth they've given.

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