Mystery Solved: Buyer Of Las Vegas Paper Outed

For nearly a week, the media and political worlds have been wondering who paid $140 million to purchase Nevada’s largest daily newspaper, The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Sheldon Adelson

The primary buyer had taken great pains to remain anonymous, but Fortune has learned from multiple sources familiar with the situation that it is Sheldon Adelson, chairman and CEO of casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp.  LVS 4.60% .

Adelson, a major Republican Party donor, had been widely rumored to be the buyer—including by employees at the Review-Journal itself, which this morning ran a front-page story that detailed Adelson’s ties to Michael Schroeder, a regional Connecticut newspaper publisher who was the only person listed on regulatory filings related to the sale.

Schroeder yesterday declined to identify the primary buyer, or to explain how he became involved with the Review-Journal purchase.

What remains unclear is why Adelson has refused to come forward.