The Case of the Missing $15 Billion Fortune: Part 1 episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 25, 2025 · 23 MIN

The Case of the Missing $15 Billion Fortune: Part 1

from The Journal. · host The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Hermès is one of Europe’s most storied luxury brands, known for its Birkin bags and expensive silk scarves. One of the company’s biggest shareholders had been fifth-generation Hermès heir Nicolas Puech. But a few years ago, Puech made a shocking admission: he was out of money. And Puech’s Hermès shares, worth some $15 billion, were missing. In this first episode, WSJ’s Nick Kostov digs into one of the most baffling and epic financial sagas of this century. Jessica Mendoza hosts.   Further Listening: The World's Richest Person Is Planning for Succession Are Diamonds Even a Luxury Anymore? How a Miami Couple Used Empty Mansions to Pocket Millions Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hermès is one of Europe’s most storied luxury brands, known for its Birkin bags and expensive silk scarves. One of the company’s biggest shareholders had been fifth-generation Hermès heir Nicolas Puech. But a few years ago, Puech made a shocking admission: he was out of money. And Puech’s Hermès shares, worth some $15 billion, were missing. In this first episode, WSJ’s Nick Kostov digs into one of the most baffling and epic financial sagas of this century. Jessica Mendoza hosts.   Further Listening: The World's Richest Person Is Planning for Succession Are Diamonds Even a Luxury Anymore? How a Miami Couple Used Empty Mansions to Pocket Millions Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOW PLAYING

The Case of the Missing $15 Billion Fortune: Part 1

0:00 23:39

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Journal.?

This episode is 23 minutes long.

When was this The Journal. episode published?

This episode was published on November 25, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Hermès is one of Europe’s most storied luxury brands, known for its Birkin bags and expensive silk scarves. One of the company’s biggest shareholders had been fifth-generation Hermès heir Nicolas Puech. But a few years ago, Puech made a shocking...

Can I download this The Journal. episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!