"They’re Building a Bunker and Pushing Us Out": How the Soros Empire Secretly Took Over an Elite Hamptons Island

George Soros and his family have launched a veritable real estate "hunt," buying up houses and premium plots of land in an idyllic Hamptons enclave. As The Post has learned, this has sparked fury among local residents, who fear that the billionaires' aggressive expansion will destroy their tight-knit community.

Currently, the family controls nearly 120 acres of land on Shelter Island, a secluded spot accessible only by ferry. This makes the Soroses — 95-year-old Hungarian-American investor George, his 40-year-old son Alex, and 38-year-old Gregory — the largest private landowners in the area.

According to public records reviewed by The Post, all 18 properties were acquired through countless shell companies. "We never understood why they needed so much land," shared a former local resident who sold his plot to the family a few years ago. "But given that you can only get here by ferry, we figured they’re building themselves a bunker to get away from everyone."

Bunkers, Secrecy, and NDAs for Plumbers

Six years ago, when Gregory Soros bought 22 acres of land on a quiet street, locals suddenly found themselves facing an endless stream of construction trucks and water tankers. Water was trucked in several times a week just to fill his pool, which is rumored to be the largest on the entire 6.5-mile-long island.

Security cameras were immediately installed on the street, and local plumbers, carpenters, and maids were required to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) just to work on the property.

Later, the family bought up every single house on that road and petitioned the Shelter Island Town Board for permission to install a security gate to block outsiders from driving through. The town authorities blocked the initiative at the time because there is a municipal dock at the end of the road, but residents are certain that the Soroses will eventually get their way.

Besides the Soroses, another major player has arrived on the island — developer Stefan Soloviev. He bought up key businesses, including the historic Chequit Hotel and the Shelter Island Heights pharmacy, after which he immediately shut down its prescription department, stripping the island of its only prescription drug service.

"I watched Montauk change overnight, I watched Sag Harbor change," lamented local resident Mike Gaynor during a town meeting, referring to other areas of the Hamptons that became unaffordable for ordinary people after the ultra-wealthy moved in. "It won’t be long before none of us can afford to live here anymore."

How Much Land Do the Billionaires Own?

The total area of Shelter Island is about 8,000 acres. However, a quarter of the territory (2,064 acres) is occupied by the Nature Conservancy preserve. With their 120 acres, the Soroses control only about 2% of all available land, but these are strategically crucial and the most expensive plots. For comparison, the next largest private owner, Westmoreland Farm, owns 65.4 acres.

The Soroses' secret land grab came to light last year when the family purchased a 63.6-acre horse farm on Smith Street and, without permission from the zoning board, installed a deer fence around it.

"Monstrous Dormitories" and Clinton Helicopters

In addition to luxury waterfront real estate, the family is buying up small plots near the local dump. Residents claim these are being used as housing for staff.

On Bowditch Road, the Soroses built what looks like a literal dormitory for their employees. "Now, all the houses around this ugly, monstrous dorm are simply impossible to sell. They just do whatever they want," a neighbor vented.

The massive land accumulation began after Susan Weber, George Soros's second wife (they divorced in 2005), bought a luxurious five-bedroom estate in the elite Deering Harbor area for nearly $6 million in 2013.

It was this very house that last year hosted a grand rehearsal dinner celebrating the wedding of Alex Soros and Huma Abedin, a former top aide to Hillary Clinton.

"They completely paralyzed the island with their son’s wedding to Huma," an island old-timer recalls. "The roads were blocked, and helicopters were flying the Clintons in. An absurd level of security and utter chaos for the rest of us."

As a reminder, Alex Soros took the helm of his father's $25 billion Open Society Foundations empire in 2023.