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PARIS (Dec. 3) - Edmond Safra, the billionaire head of a worldwide financial
empire who was killed today in a fire set by intruders at his Monaco home,
emerged from a wealthy Jewish family in Lebanon to run a banking empire that
included Republic National Bank of New York. He was 67.

Firefighters found the bodies of Safra and his step-granddaughter's nanny in
the bathroom of Safra's luxury penthouse overlooking the Mediterranean. They
had barricaded themselves to hide from the attackers. The nanny also died.

Listed by Forbes magazine as one of the world's wealthiest men, Safra had
reportedly been suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Safra, a Monaco resident with homes around the world, was also a leading
philanthropist who helped build synagogues, schools and community centers
from Greece to the United States.