In 1992, television pictures of starving Somalis, especially the children, engaged the consciences and generosity of millions of Americans, including then-President Bush.

NPR: Somalia: Decades of Unintended Consequences

The other three donors, including SAP co-founder Dietmar Hopp, had fallen out of the ranks due to their generosity.

FORBES: World's Most Generous People

The day he appeared in court, the Times reported that he had transferred ownership of his estate at Knossos, including his vineyards and the Villa Ariadne, to the Athens-based British archaeological institute: an unexpected act of generosity that Mr MacGillivray argues was intended to save his reputation.

ECONOMIST: Bullshot