Warren Buffett - the world's third richest man - denies buying a Greek island

A report said Buffett had bought St. Thomas Island

Warren Buffett might be one of the richest men in the world, but he isn't planning on splurging on a Greek retreat any time soon, despite reports in a Greek newspaper that he's got his sights set on buying an island.

The 84-year-old Berkshire Hathaway chief has publicly denied a report that appeared in a Greek newspaper over the weekend that he and an agent, Alessandro Proto, snapped up St Thomas Island, south west of Athens.

Buffett said the report, which was later picked up by other media outlets, was a "total fabrication". He told Reuters that he had never even heard of Proto.

"Until the reports started coming out I had never heard of the guy [Proto] who is making the claims about the Greek Island," he told Reuters in a statement.

But while a representative for Proto's company, Proto Enterprises, said the comments had been misinterpreted, she insisted a deal was still a possibility.

Proto is even hoping to capitalise on the coverage to "get directly to Mr. Buffett," Federica Sala, Proto's manager assistant, told Reuters.

In a spin on Buffett's famous phrase - "you only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out", she said: "It's only when the tide goes down you see who is dressed.

"And in this particular case Mr. Proto is dressed and will sell an island in Greece to Mr. Buffet sooner or later."