The documentation would allow Schmidt, who was born in Virginia, to bypass strict COVID-19 related travel bans on the continent.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is reportedly trying to get his hands on a European passport.
The 65-year-old tech tycoon — whose string of extra-marital affairs have made him a regular fixture on Page Six — is finalizing a plan to become a citizen of the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Recode reported on Monday.
The documentation would allow Schmidt, who was born in Virginia, to bypass strict COVID-19 related travel bans on the continent.
Cyprus law allows foreigners to apply for citizenship if they have held property on the island worth at least 2 million euros for more than 5 years. It is far more commonly taken advantage of by Russian oligarchs than US tech moguls, according to the report.
Schmidt, who led the search giant from 2001 until 2011, is currently the 82nd richest person on earth with a net worth of $19.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Al Jazeera recently reported that Cypriot officials have “expressed a willingness to sell EU passports to criminals.” The European Union last month said it would crack down on the Cypriot policy, saying that it effectively sells European citizenship.
The law is being phased out this month, meaning that Schmidt and his family will be some of the last people who are able to take advantage of it.
Schmidt did not respond to questions about why he was pursuing Cypriot citizenship, but likely applied within the last 12 months.
