Adnan Khashoggi (1935–2017) was a Saudi Arabian businessman and arms dealer who became one of the world's richest men and a prominent intermediary in the global arms market. Born in Mecca to a Turkish-origin family, his father was the personal physician to King Ibn Saud, affording Khashoggi early access to Saudi elite circles. He studied in the United States at Chico State College (now California State University, Chico) and briefly attended Stanford University but did not complete a degree. Returning to Saudi Arabia in the late 1950s, he leveraged his connections to facilitate lucrative deals between Western defense contractors—such as Lockheed and Northrop—and Middle Eastern buyers, amassing a fortune estimated at $4 billion by the early 1980s. He played a key role as an intermediary during the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980s, allegedly facilitating covert weapons transfers to Iran via Israel, supporting the Reagan administration's efforts to fund Nicaraguan Contras. Known as "The Great Gatsby of the Middle East," Khashoggi led an opulent lifestyle, owning yachts, private jets, palatial estates, and socializing with celebrities, royals, and politicians worldwide. His business empire, Triad International Holding Company, included shipping, hotels, and construction. His career was tainted by scandals such as bribery allegations in the 1970s Lockheed affair and legal troubles including a 1980s U.S. bank fraud indictment related to Imelda Marcos, from which he was acquitted, and a 2006 Panama money-laundering conviction. The 1990s oil bust and these legal issues contributed to his financial decline. Divorced multiple times, he had several children and maintained residences in London, Marbella, and New York. Khashoggi died in London in 2017 from complications of Parkinson's disease, remembered as one of the 20th century's most enigmatic and controversial figures in international business and political intrigue.