Leonardo DiCaprio Faces Constant Misfortunes: Lost Millions of USD, Called a Hypocrite 

On July 25 (local time), the Daily Mail reported that Leonardo DiCaprio invested a portion of his over 300 million USD fortune into the “vegan” shoe company Wild Loci.

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in London, Wild Loci specializes in producing sports shoes from eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, foam, rubber, and recycled plastics. These sneakers come in various styles and sizes for both men and women, with retail prices ranging from £120-£170 (USD 155-220). Celebrities, including actress Lily James and Princess Eugenie, are customers of the brand.

The “Titanic” star has invested a total of £3 million (USD 3.86 million) into this sustainable fashion brand over 12 months.

“Leonardo DiCaprio is one of our investors. He’s a real star and sees the world as we do. We’re lucky to have him on the team. He doesn’t have to do this, so there’s definitely something driving him. If I could describe Leo in two words, I’d say sincere and kind. You can care about the world and still want good things,” co-founder Emmanuel Eribo of Wild Loci shared with the Daily Mail in July 2023.

At that time, the actor had high hopes for Wild Loci. He expressed pride in becoming an investor in a brand committed to reducing environmental impact and creating ethical, animal-free shoes.

However, now Leo might have to reconsider further investments as the latest financial report shows the company facing significant losses.

According to the report filed with Companies House (the UK’s business registry), Wild Loci Ltd lost £2,700,454 (USD 3,479,440) as of April 2023. The previous year, the brand lost £966,809 (USD 1,245,796).

Leonardo’s side has yet to comment on the losses. Meanwhile, Emmanuel told MailOnline that a startup should not be judged solely on financial reports. He explained that the brand has only been operating for 3.5 years and requires more costs and time to realize its ambition to expand in the UK and US markets. Besides, the company’s goal is not just profit but also contributing to missions like removing plastic bottles from the ocean, saving sea turtles, and supporting talented young artists in various fields.

Accusations of Hypocrisy

In 2023, Leonardo DiCaprio decided to invest in Wild Loci after facing accusations of hypocrisy for enjoying a lavish lifestyle while calling for climate change action.

Previously, he was known as a strong supporter of environmental issues, with the belief that climate change is the most urgent threat facing humanity.

In 1998, at the age of 24, he established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation with the mission to draw attention to and fund the protection of biodiversity, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change prevention.

The actor also serves on the board of several environmental protection organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Pristine Seas, and Oceans 5.

He is also believed to have contributed £75 million (USD 97 million) to global conservation projects aimed at protecting endangered species and land from developers.

Leo was honored with the Clinton Global Citizen Award for his philanthropic activities and serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace on climate change.

However, he has faced intense criticism in recent years for his environmentally unfriendly lifestyle. In addition to owning multiple homes and enjoying luxury yacht parties, he frequently uses private jets for long trips within short time frames.

In 2016, the Oscar-winning actor was mocked for taking a nearly 13,000 km private jet trip from Europe to New York City to receive an environmental award. Private jets can have varying carbon emissions, but some statistics show they are 37 times higher than commercial planes.

After the controversy, Leo seemed to recognize the severity of the issue. He redeemed himself by flying commercially to Glasgow (Scotland) for the COP26 climate summit.

However, accusations of double standards resurfaced in 2023. In March 2023, Leo attended the Green Carpet Fashion Awards event with leaders in sustainable fashion and social activism in Los Angeles. However, he had previously flown a total of 19,300 km in just two weeks to hang out with models and travel between cities like London, Milan (Italy), and Paris (France).

Source: K14