The billionaire owner of Trader Joe’s is one of the most mysterious men to ever live.

Theo Albrecht is his name. He’s a German billionaire who owns Aldi with his brother Karl Albrecht. The Albrecht brothers are the two richest people in Germany and two of the richest people on earth, but both went nearly their entire lives without having EVER been photographed or interviewed.

In 1979, Theo purchased Trader Joe’s from Joe Columbe. Trader Joe’s quickly began expanding throughout the nation. It’s said their secrecy stems from a kidnap of Theo Albrecht in 1971. He was held for 17 days and his family eventually paid $2.2 million for him, which was the largest ransom EVER paid for a hostage at that time.

Even today, the Albrecht family is a mystery. Karl Albrecht’s daughter Beate Albrecht inherited much of his fortune, and she is currently ranked as one of the five richest women on Earth. Despite this, she has never given an interview.