A new report claims that following high-profile examples of rich people being killed or robbed, the wealthy elite are more nervous than ever about poor people or criminals robbing them, or worse. To defend against this, many are turning their multi-million dollar mansions into spaces that closely resemble Hitman levels.
A new Wall Street Journal report shows that a lot of the richest people in the United States are on edge after events like the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in 2024 and the shooting of Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner and others in 2025. There have also been some high-profile burglaries, including the homes of Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, and Kansas City Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes. Reportedly many rich celebs and executives are also nervous about sites that let people track private jets and yachts. To ease their fears, many of the richest people around are spending millions on adding security features like laser grids, moats, armed guards, and AI-powered cameras to their mansions.
“Prior to the wide use of social media, most CEOs—whether they’re in private equity, finance or tech—no one knew their names or what they looked like, with few exceptions,” said Miami luxury real estate agent Danny Hertzberg. “Now, people are tracking them.”
One former tech mogul turned real estate agent showed off a $15 million mansion compound in Arizona that included 32 “casino-grade cameras” and a “laser intrusion detection system” around the home’s large perimeter. The house’s front door is made out of three-inch-thick solid steel and includes 13 deadbolts. Around the house are also sour orange trees with four-inch spikes intended to deter people from sneaking around. And in front of all that is a moat. Meanwhile, inside the house is a reinforced concrete bunker with a 2,000-pound door and an air filtration system built to extremely high standards.
And this is far from the only mansion being turned into a challenging Hitman level. The Wall Street Journal says roughly 45 percent of high-end homes sold last year included a reference to privacy or security. That’s up from 38 percent in 2024.
In Vegas, a luxury design firm says clients are now spending $100,000 to $1.5 million just on security features like safe rooms and cameras. In Florida, another building company is working to incorporate biometric access, facial recognition, and iris scanning into its security systems.
Meanwhile, in places like Beverly Hills, developers are contracting security firm Arsec Group to provide 24/7 armed guard for their latest collection of high-end homes inside a gated community. Mikey Arana, founder of Arsec, says many of his clients in California are increasingly worried about being followed and robbed after a night out on the town wearing pricey clothes and jewelry. The armed guards carry 9mm pistols and observe the property via infrared cameras.
“Sometimes, unfortunately, the only way to stop violent action is with a violent response,” said Arana.
