Dennis Hope owns the moon, Mars, and most other planets in our solar system - at least according to US government records and millions of dollars worthoflegal real estate transactions.
In 1980, Hope discovered a loophole in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that prohibited countries from claiming celestial bodies but said nothing about individuals. He immediately filed a claim with the US government declaring ownership of the moon and sent similar notices to the United Nations and Soviet Union.
When no government challenged his claim within the legal time limit, Hope's ownership became official under property law principles. He founded the Lunar Embassy and began selling moon real estate to anyone willing to pay.
The business has been incredibly successful. Hope has soldover611 million acres of lunar property to more than 6 million customers worldwide, generating millions in revenue. Buyers receive official deeds, property maps, and legal documentation for their moon lots.
Famous customers include former presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, actors like Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and thousands of ordinary people who wanted to own a piece of space. Wedding proposals on moon property have become surprisingly popular.
What makes Hope's claim legally interesting is that no government has officially disputed it. While space lawyers argue the sales have no legal validity, Hope maintains that his ownership is legitimate until someone proves otherwise in court.
Hope has expanded his celestial real estate empire to include Mars, Venus, and other planets. He's even established a lunar government called the Galactic Government and appointed himself president.
The legal precedent could become important as space colonization needs to become reality. If Hope's claims hold up, future moon settlers might have to pay rent to a man in Nevada who never left Earth.
Whether Hope actually owns the moon remains legally uncertain, but he's definitely profitedfromthe universe's biggestreal estate loophole.