A San Francisco businessman has made more than $10 million by allegedly selling acres of land of the moon, UK MailOnline reported.
By exploiting a loophole in the 1967 UN Outer Space treaty, 66-year-old Dennis Hope claimed ownership of the lunar landscape.
Through his company, Lunar Embassy, he then divided the landscape into plots and sold them in his local bar and over the internet for $20 an acre, or $25 including mineral rights.
His six million customers include the famous likes of Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Clint Eastwood, and Star Wars creator George Lucas.
While investments have been made by companies such as Hilton and Marriott, Presidents Reagan, Carter and Bush Junior have also had plots bought for them through the venture.
In 2003, the Galactic Government, his own state, was set up by Hope, which has since then had a ratified constitution, a congress, a unit of currency and even a patent office.
A gold-embossed certificate and an entitlement to vote in any future elections is also awarded to each owner.
Hope, a former used car salesman, researched the law on land-grabs on Earth before writing to the United Nations to lay claim to the moon.
Since his request was not declined or answered, he considers himself to have a legal right to the moon and all its minerals.
He also claimed ownership of most of the other planets in the solar system, and their moons, at the same time.
"I couldn't help thinking that there was a lot of unclaimed property up there," he said.
"I was intrigued enough to look up the treaty and sure enough Article Two states' no nation by appropriation shall have sovereignty or control over any satellite bodies."
"I found a lot of countries accepted that land could be claimed so I just applied what I learned."
"People have said just because the UN never responded doesn't mean you own it. Well, I did my due diligence, they should have done theirs."
Hope was on a cross-country drive in the late 1970s when he came up with the idea of laying claim to the moon, UK MailOnline reported.
