Ahmet Zappa Highest-Paid Author in the World
- By Carol Kearney
- Washington
- Last updated on
Hot news
- Love January 30, 2026
- Breaking news February 2, 2026
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It's been a rough year for the author, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 51-year-old Ahmet Zappa has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid authors for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.
UPDATE 03/02/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
Ahmet Zappa tops annual list of highest-paid authors
In 2023 it looked like the author’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (February 2) that Zappa is the highest-paid author in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between January 2025 and January 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over his closest competition.
People With Money’s factors
In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.
The American author-producer has an estimated net worth of $245 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Zappa Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Los Angeles Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderzappa - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Ahmet) and a fashion line called “Ahmet Zappa Seduction”.
The ranking is significant for many Ahmet fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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