Here's How Anna Shay From Bling Empire Got So Much Money
Netflix has a new show, and it's filled with so much bling you may need to shield your eyes. Bling Empire is a peek into how the ridiculously rich live and is being hailed as a cross between Crazy Rich Asians and The Real Housewives. But dare we say it, with even more money in the mix.
The show takes place in Los Angeles, and follows the lives of mega-rich Asian Americans. The show's matriarch, Anna Shay, has quickly proved to be the scene-stealer by whisking others off to dinner in Paris like it's no big deal. And by supplementing her yoga class outfits with jewelry worth millions. Once our eyes started to adapt to all the bling, we began to wonder, how did this 60-year-old socialite get so much money?
Anna is the daughter of Edward Shay. Haven't heard of him? Another cast member, Kane, perfectly sums the late business man up as the guy who "sells bombs, guns, defense technology. And [he] is worth like a few billion" (via Forbes).
Anna Shay's father set her up for life
Edward Shay founded Pacific Architects and Engineers (also known as PAE or PA&E) in California in 1955. The company started off early with international defense contractors, and as of late, is known to handle top-secret work for the U.N. and American government. Edward passed away in 1995 and left the company to his son, Allen. It was then sold to Lockheed Martin in 2006 for a both-eyebrow-raising $1.2 billion all-cash deal (via Cinemaholic).
We don't know how much Anna Shay personally earned from that deal, but we do know that it made her rich enough to not even care to cash the checks she was getting for being a part of Bling Empire. "It was so confusing when I got the checks. I didn't know what to do with them. I didn't cash them, then I got in trouble for not cashing them. I have them in a savings account. I'd like to have a party some time. I don't think the money belongs to me. I think it belongs to the crew that had to put up with me" she shared (via O, the Oprah Magazine).
Wow, Anna! Too rich to cash checks? We would love to judge you, but we're too busy looking forward to the next scene you steal.