“Smart men go broke three ways - liquor, ladies and leverage.” - Charlie Munger
This is massive honestly. They were likely $18B. And by most accounts, they were almost entirely trading their own capital.
They were well liked and respected in the industry, having built up their fortunes trading over the years.
A little like Ray Dalio being on the run.
In "Liar's Poker" (1998), iirc, this was called an Argentine Put. You'd place a big trade at the end of a day, fly to Argentina that night, and check the newspaper the next day to find out whether you were rich or a fugitive.