Richard Branson Joan also had a daughter named Clare Sarah, who died when she was four days old in 1979. They were married in 1989 on Necker Island. In 1998, Branson released his autobiography, titled "Losing My Virginity", an international best-seller. Branson was deeply saddened by the disappearance of fellow adventurer Steve Fossett in September 2007; the following month he wrote an article for "Time" magazine, titled "My Friend, Steve Fossett". In 2013, Branson became President of the Old Stoic Society of Stowe School. In March 2015, Branson said that almost all drug use should be decriminalised in the UK, following the
Richard Branson order to avoid paying Purchase Tax. Customs officials caught onto the scheme and executed a sting operation, marking records bought for the international market with invisible ink and subsequently buying them on the domestic market. Branson was advised of the sting by an anonymous tip-off and attempted to dispose of the evidence, but this was unsuccessful. Branson's business empire is owned by a complicated series of offshore trusts and companies. "The Sunday Times" stated that his wealth is calculated at £3 billion; if he were to retire to his Caribbean island and liquidate all of this, he would pay relatively