Even though the recession allegedly ended in June, 2009, times are still tough. Soup is a staple. Souplantation a luxury. Soup kitchens — a necessity.

But Forbes magazine's annual richest people list (via LA Biz Observed) shows Southern California's wealthiest are doing fine, including a few you're sick of hearing about and one guy you've probably never heard of:

Credit: Irvine Company

Credit: Irvine Company

Donald Bren, chairman of the Irvine Company, which sits on a lot of expensive land in Orange County. Worth: $12 billion.

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Eli Broad (above, with wife Edythe), the KB Home-derived billionaire-philanthropist who has become one of the city's singular most powerful forces in how its (and his) art will be preserved for generations. Worth: $5.8 billion.

Credit: KCET

Credit: KCET

Patrick Soon-Shiong: Often called the richest Angeleno (proper), Soon-Shiong founded a medical-device company that has killed. He recently pledged $100 million in loan guarantees to help revive Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital Worth: $5.6 billion.

There's Hef, and then there's Gef.

There's Hef, and then there's Gef.

David Geffen, music mogul, film producer, Malibu beach lover who doesn't like others loving his beach. Worth: $5.1 billion.

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Haim Saban is the Power Rangers tycoon who has become one of America's most-powerful private advocates for the well-being of Israel. Worth: $3.4 billion.

Go here for the rest.

Chris Rock once joked that there's rich, and then there's wealth: Rich is Shaq; wealth is the white guy who signs his check. That's who these guy's are

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