An oil tycoon sold his company for $26 billion this year - but died before the deal closed

Autry Stephens struck a deal in February that would have made him America's richest oilman and one of the world's 100 wealthiest people - but died before it closed.

Only 14 people on Bloomberg's rich list have made more money this year, and none of them rank lower than 18th. Stephens has even outpaced the world's richest person, Elon Musk.

Stephens' immediate family members are the sole owners of Endeavor following his demise, per Bloomberg. They're poised to receive the $8 billion in cash and 117.3 million Diamondback shares from the deal.

Stephens may have decided that given his ill health and the lack of an obvious heir to take over the family business, it was best to secure his family's future.

Read at Business Insider