>>508987255 (OP)Larry Silverstein, a prominent New York real estate developer, earned the nickname "Lucky Larry" due to a series of events surrounding his lease of the World Trade Center (WTC) complex and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This moniker, often used in online discussions and conspiracy theories, stems from circumstances that some perceive as fortunate coincidences, though Silverstein and his supporters attribute his survival and financial outcomes to chance and diligence.
Silverstein signed a 99-year lease for the WTC, including the Twin Towers, for $3.2 billion in July 2001, just seven weeks before the 9/11 attacks. On the morning of September 11, he was scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting at Windows on the World, a restaurant atop the North Tower. However, his wife, Klara, insisted he keep a dermatologist appointment, which he had previously canceled. This decision kept him away from the WTC when the planes struck, sparing his life. Similarly, his children, Lisa and Roger, who worked at the WTC, were also absent that day, though specific reasons for their absence are less documented and often exaggerated in speculative narratives.
The "Lucky Larry" label also derives from the substantial insurance payout Silverstein received post-9/11. The WTC was insured for $3.55 billion per event, and Silverstein argued that the two plane crashes constituted separate incidents, seeking $7.1 billion. After a lengthy legal battle, he settled with insurers in 2007 for $4.55 billion, a significant sum that fueled speculation of profiteering. Critics point to the timing of the lease and insurance policy, which included terrorism coverage, as suspiciously fortuitous, especially since Silverstein’s lenders required such coverage. However, industry sources note that terrorism insurance was standard in commercial policies before 9/11, as the risk was considered low.