Colorado's billionaires are getting richer

The pockets of Colorado's billionaires deepened during the pandemic — with some more than doubling in size.

Driving the news: Seven Coloradans made the latest Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, and each has more money than ever before.

The magazine's 2021 roster:

• Charlie Ergen, $13B (No. 56): A Denver resident and co-founder of TV provider Dish Network. His net worth spiked by 40% in 2021.
• Philip Anschutz, $10.8B (66): An influential investor and longtime Denver resident known for his holdings in oil, real estate and media. His bankroll bumped by 7%.
• John Malone, $8.4B (98): A media magnate who lives in Elizabeth and is the country's largest private landowner, with more than 2 million acres. His wealth grew 45% year over year.
• Mark Stevens, $4.8B (224): A Steamboat Springs resident and venture capitalist from Silicon Valley whose net worth jumped by 55% this year.
• Kenneth Tuchman, $3.7B (310): The founder of TTEC, a massive call center outsourcing company, who lives in Englewood. His fortune soared in 2021 by 133%.
• Pat Stryker, $3.4B (340): This Fort Collins resident is heir to the medical device maker Stryker Corp. Her net worth swelled 34%.
• James Leprino, $3.3B (358): Owner of Denver-based Leprino Foods, the world's biggest mozzarella cheese maker. His riches rose by 10%.

Zoom out: As much of the country struggled to make ends meet, the 400 most affluent Americans saw their collective wealth grow by 40% to $4.5 trillion.