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# Fact brief: Was Denny Sanford South Dakota’s only billionaire?
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/fact-brief-denny-sanford-south-dakota-only-billionaire-forbes/
- Published: 2026-07-21T09:31:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-21T09:31:18.000Z
- Description: The philanthropist and businessman gave over $4 billion away over his lifetime. Sanford died at 90 on July 18.
- Author: Emily DeCock
- Tags: Fact briefs

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png)

## Yes.

T. Denny Sanford was South Dakota’s only billionaire. The philanthropist and businessman died July 18 at 90 and was South Dakota’s richest person.

Sanford’s first major donation was $16 million in 2004 to what is now known as Sanford Children’s Castle of Care in Sioux Falls, according to a press release. Sanford Health was named after the businessman after he made a $400 million donation to the health system formerly known as Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System in 2007\. Sanford donated nearly $2 billion to Sanford Health, the release said.

The health system estimated Sanford donated over $4 billion over his lifetime to education, furthering research on cancer, community health, hospice and veteran care and more.

Forbes currently reports his net worth at $2.4 billion. In 2022, Forbes estimated his net worth at $3.4 billion.

ℹ️

This fact brief responds to claims such as [this one.](https://www.reddit.com/r/economy/comments/1v1vwwd/i%5Fwant%5Fto%5Fdie%5Fbroke%5Fbillionaire%5Fphilanthropist/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

## Sources

Forbes, [World’s Billionaires List](https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

World Population Review, [Most Billionaires by State 2026](https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/most-billionaires-by-state?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

SDPB, [South Dakota billionaire, philanthropist T. Denny Sanford dies at age 90](https://www.sdpb.org/2026-07-19/south-dakota-billionaire-philanthropist-t-denny-sanford-dies-at-age-90?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Sanford Health, [Denny Sanford leaves legacy in healthcare and beyond](https://news.sanfordhealth.org/foundation/denny-sanford-leaves-legacy-in-health-care-and-beyond/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

## About fact briefs

Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by South Dakota News Watch as part of the[ Gigafact](https://gigafact.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org) network. **Submit a question** for us to answer[ on the tipline](https://gigafact.org/tipline/south-dakota-news-watch/?ref=sdnewswatch.org).

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**South Dakota News Watch* is an independent nonprofit. *Read, subscribe* for free and *donate* at* [*sdnewswatch.org*](http://sdnewswatch.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)*. *Contact* freelance reporter Emily DeCock: emily.decock@sdnewswatch.org.*