No, Oracle of Omaha Warren Buffett did not just buy a Greek island for €15m

Investing in Greece might seem like a bit of a risk right now, but what about Greek islands? 

 

Rumours have been sprouting that various celebrities – ranging from the likes of A-list couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and fellow actor Johnny Depp to the Oracle of Omaha Warren Buffett – have been snapping up somewhere in the sun. 

 

Reports claim that several uninhabited Greek islands have been put up for sale amid the country's ongoing financial problems. 

 

Unfortunately, they are not true. At the very least, the story about Buffett – who according to several publications including Newsweek bought the island of St Thomas, southwest of Athens for €15m – is wrong. 

 

Omaha paper The World Herald actually called Buffett's office to find out whether the report was true. The answer was a pretty unequivocal “No.”

 

The Depp, Pitt and Jolie reports are yet to be verified (or, indeed, proved to be false). 

 

Still, they would be forgiven for jumping on a bargain. Apparently Greek islands are going for less than the cost of a ski chalet in Aspen or a walk-up apartment in Manhatten's Upper East Side.