Mexican Carlos Slim, the world's richest man, has just bought a magnificient mansion in New York for a whopping $44 million.

Slim already owns a major interest in the New York Times and a major office building in Manhattan.

He has now bought the Duke-Semens mansion across the street from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Post reported Thursday.

The deal was closed for $44 million cash.

The multi-billionaire snatched the house from a Russian buyer whose starting bid was around $37 million.

Forbes reported that Slim's family net worth was $53.5 billion.