St Barth locals blast 'tacky' mega-wealthy who descended on the island
Billionaires have taken over St Barths after the mega-wealthy - including the likes of Jeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio - descended on the tiny Caribbean paradise for New Year's Eve.Pictures of the coast of St Barths shows the clear blue waters filled with dozens of yachts of all sizes - prompting locals to blast the swarm of 'tacky' billionaires who have landed on the French island. Jeff Bezos and his new wife Lauren Sánchez, NBA legend Michael Jordan, and film producer David Geffen are just some of the many A-listers who've come to the island this year.Sánchez and Bezos, who were recently mocked for partying with bikini-clad bottle service women on the island, were seen soaking up the Caribbean sun on his luxury 417ft, $500million yacht named Koru on Wednesday.Sánchez, 56, left little to the imagination with a tiny zebra-striped bikini, while the Amazon founder, 61, donned patterned shorts, a white short-sleeved top, a baseball cap, and aviator sunglasses.Meanwhile the founder of OpenAI Sam Altman was also invited to the party as he was spotted holding his baby, whom he shares with his husband Oliver Mulherin, in one image.But for locals in St Barths the infiltration of gigantic yachts is obstructing their views and making the stunning destination spot 'tacky'. Billionaires have taken over St Barths after the mega-wealthy - including the likes of Jeff Bezosand Leonardo DiCaprio- descended on the tiny Caribbean paradise for New Year's Eve
While the big names are living it up, residents have expressed their anger online with the elite disrupting what's supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable start to the new year ahead.One Reddit user who has been coming to St Barts for 12 years said it has become 'more instagrammy' and filled with the 'tacky designer crowd' in recent years.Another shared a picture of the breathtaking ocean, commenting that they've found a better spot to hang out so 'the big boats can't block the view!!''A lot of floating plastic in one spot,' a user commented on an Instagram Threads post showing a map of all the boats in St Barts for New Year's Eve.'Living in a different reality,' someone said on X. Bezos's support vessel, the 246ft Abeona, pictured above on June 13, 2023 in Portofino, Italy US tech billionaire Jeff Bezos's yacht, the Koru (pictured above) was spotted in St Barths US tech billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, pictured above in Aspen, Colorado on December 23, 2025 British inventor and businessman Sir James Dyson's classic luxury motor yacht 'Nahlin', moored off the Cornish Coast on April 21, 2021 in Falmouth, England Sir James Dyson is among the hundreds of tech leaders, fashion designers, actors and billionaires enjoying a New Year's Eve in the Caribbean. Pictured above in New York in May, 2025 Among the vessels is Sir Philip Green's Lionheart. The superyacht is pictured here in Valletta, Malta Sir Philip Green has joined his daughter on the party island, evidenced by the presence of his 295ft Lionheart vessel. Pictured above in Monaco in September, 2024Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, 83, has also had his yacht, named Bravo Eugenia, sitting in the water of St Barts since December 26, according to Business Insider. The vessels are so big that they practically act as a homes away from home - or homes - for the wealthy bunch, as many of them have multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, a spa, gym, and even helipads.Dmitry Bukhman, the Russian cofounder of the online gaming developer Playtrix, has also been spotted in St Barts in his 378-foot-long yacht named Ahpo.Other celebrities, including Heidi Klum and her husband Tom Kaulitz, as well as Kris Jenner, are on the Caribbean Island for the holiday. Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, also parked his yacht, named Aquarius II, in the water.Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Dr. Phil, and Sir Philip Green, the former owner of British fashion chain Topshop, are also bringing in the new year there. Michael Jordan's $115million superyacht - M Brace - is pictured in Saint-Tropez on July 29, 2023 Sports icon Michael Jordan, pictured in 2024 in Ohio. He is among the celebrities arriving to celebrate New Year's Eve in St Barths Jan Koum's Moonrise: The 328ft yacht that can fit 16 guests and 32 crew members Jan Koum, co-founder and chief executive officer of WhatsApp Inc., speaks during the WSJDLive Global Technology Conference in Laguna Beach, California The Rising Sun, owned by American film producer and record executive David Geffen David Geffen (R) attends the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves game at Crypto.com Arena on October 24, 2025 The Mayan Queen - the towering yacht owned by the family of the late Mexican billionaire Alberto Baillères. Pictured in the Port of Trieste, Italy Alberto Baillères passed away aged 90 in 2022, with an estimated net worth of $10.1billion. He is pictured above in Mexico City in 2015Other celebs spotted on the island include actor Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, who was seen in a few cheeky snaps alongside his 27-year-old Italian supermodel girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti. The A-listers were seen just days after Bezos and Sánchez were mercilessly mocked after they were seen partying with bikini-clad bottle service women in St Barts ahead of New Year's Eve.The couple, who recently spent their first Christmas together as husband and wife, seemed in high spirits as they let loose with friends at Nikki Beach.The pair were spotted with friends at the oceanfront beach club, celebrating a pal's birthday. In a video that has since attracted a lot of attention, Sánchez, dressed in a denim mini skirt and skin-tight brown top, stood on her seat and danced as she recorded the jubilations on her phone.Meanwhile, her husband, Bezos, clapped animatedly as he sat beside her. He wore a blue shirt and kept his eyes protected from the sun with a pair of shades. The 289ft Fountainhead yacht, owned by hedge fund magnate Edward Lampert Self-made billionaire John Caudwell pictured with his partner, former Olympian Modesta Vžesniauskaitė Aviva, a luxury yacht belonging to billionaire Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis ENIC International Limited Owner Joe Lewis (pictured) in the stands with Tottenham Hotspur Chairman Daniel Levy The Ahpo, the 378ft yacht, is owned by online gaming billionaire Dmitri Bukhman Igor, left, and Dmitri Bukhman, founders of Playrix Holding Ltd., pose for a photograph at Sarona Market in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Friday, March 29, 2019 Superyacht Bravo Eugenia, belonging to the US billionaire Jerry Jones Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on from the broadcast set prior to an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 3, 2025 in Arlington, TexasSocial media users were quick to roast the couple online and branded the pair 'tacky' and 'cringe'.Taking to X, one user said: 'Unpopular opinion but there does come a point when you're too old for this.''One of the richest men in the world parading around partying with his 56-year-old teenager wife like a University of Miami fraternity brother,' another wrote. 'Exhausting and cringe.'
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