Sins of the Filthy Rich: Tales of Wicked Wealth

by Peter Coleman

Envy, gluttony, sloth, lust, pride, wrath and greed are not good, particularly when the 'sinners' have huge bank accounts and zero accountability.

From Emperor Commodus to Rupert Murdoch, Count Dracula to Kim Kardashian, Genghis Khan to Gina Rinehart, Sins of the Filthy Rich explores how the mega wealthy have exploited, indulged and misbehaved appallingly throughout history.

Accompanied by shocking facts showing how wicked wealth is ruining the world, Sins of the Filthy Rich is a deep dive into the damage done by the insanely affluent. Get ready to seethe with injustice but also feel better about not being one of the 1% - because those people are awful!

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘If a monkey hoarded more bananas than it could eat, while most of the other monkeys starved, scientists would study that monkey to figure out what the heck was wrong with it. When humans do it, we put them on the cover of Forbes.’
- NATHALIE ROBIN JUSTICE

Peter Coleman is back with Sins of the Filthy Rich, a brilliantly biting, wickedly witty deep dive and I was so ready for it. Having read his earlier book (Australia’s Most Bizarre Crimes) I knew that I was in for equal parts wicked humor and eyebrow raising scandal. Still, nothing quite prepared me for just how gleefully outrageous this book is. Coleman takes the seven deadly sins and lets the world’s wealthiest offenders strut across the stage, from ancient emperors to today’s celebrity billionaires.

Some of the stories are jaw dropping, others are laugh out loud ridiculous. Take Jeff Bezos, for example, so drunk on his own ego that he fancied himself an astronaut and built the most outrageous phallic looking rocket ship (or as I like to call it, The C**k Rocket). One can only assume he drew inspiration from Dr. Evil’s spaceship in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Or closer to home, we have Gina Rinehart, whose idea of “family bonding” involves a court battle over who gets to inherit the world’s biggest pile of iron ore.

What I love about Coleman’s style is the way he delivers sharp social commentary without ever feeling heavy handed. He skewers the excesses of the filthy rich with the kind of wit that makes you laugh first, then seethe later. By the end, you can’t decide whether to be grateful you’re not one of the 1% or a bit jealous that your own scandals aren’t worthy of the history books.

If you like your history laced with gossip, your satire dark but cheeky, and your moral outrage tempered by laughter, Sins of the Filthy Rich is the perfect indulgence.

Congratulations Pete!

I Highly Recommend.

Thank you Affirm Press for my early readers copy.

Available Now!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can we discuss the fact that the author had slid a whole section dedicated to Kim Kardashian that literally has a dot point list of every embarrassment she’s ever experienced? No filter. Just point after point. Going through the book, you read through historical figures, politicians, business owners and their back story, then you get to Kim K and instead of a story, you get a fat ass list of all the dumb shit she’s done and said.

Overall, it was so informative yet witty, sarcastic and topped off by highlighting the impact these rich people COULD HAVE had on the world if they didn’t spend their billions on ridiculous things.

The beginning really opens your mind on the direction the book will take. ‘If a monkey hoarded more bananas than it could eat while most of the other monkeys starved, scientists would study that monkey to figure out what the heck was wrong with it. When humans do it we put them on the cover of Forbes.’ << TRUTHHHHH. What a way to put things into perspective.

I loved that in the end, it reflected a glass half full, be happy with what you have viewpoint. ‘Instead of deriving pleasure from what he has, he derives pain from what others have’. - quoting ENVY. PREACH.

[Mienke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book! I often don’t finish non fiction books, but with this one i stayed interested from start to finish.
It is very entertaining and an easy read. I was often shocked by the facts about the lives of the very rich, and throughout the book I felt more and more resentful, but in the very last chapter the author managed to make me look in an giant mirror at my own habits and privilege.
It’s easy to point a finger at others but hard to see the same faults in our own behavior. The super rich should be held more accountable for the impact they have on the world, but in a small way we all have an impact to make.
Definitely a book to think about for a long time.

[salma · Rating 4 out of 5]

further fuels my hatred for capitalism:p

fun and insightful

[Sam Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brisk, darkly witty exposé of the misdeeds of the elite, from ancient emperors through to modern media moguls.

There is a relentless parade of shocking facts and outrageous historical anecdotes. Cynicism is your constant companion whilst reading this book.

In short it is an entertaining takedown of wicked wealth making you feel a bit smug that you are not one of them!

[Jenny Delandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a massive amount of information in this book.. the author has spent a lot of time researching the people mentioned in the book.
A lot of the illustrations of excess are from historic figures… from Ancient Rome and China to royal houses in Europe… even in Britain.
But there are contemporaries also sprinkled throughout the book.
One of the most notable of the examples of excess was a wedding in Mumbai… what a waste of money.

There are thoughtful examples of how excesses by the rich could have been spent… the authors favourite phrase “just saying”😀

At the end of the book, there is a chapter about rich people giving their money to charities and helping food banks, donating money to scholarships for children who would not have been able to attend university and creating housing for those in need.

It was an interesting commentary on the historic use of wealth.. and what defines wealth in the current world.

[diana lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was a thoughtful reminder on how it is necessary for our society to be generous. i loved all the included quotes and this one really stood with me "without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar". really made me reflect on my privilege growing up in australia, living in a safe community even as an asian immigrant.