当然，《赫芬顿邮报》（HuffingtonPost）并非披露此事的独家媒体。MSN、音乐博客NME都发表了类似的诡辩，尤其令人吃惊的是，纳斯达克（NASDAQ）官方网站也加入了这个行列。

    以下是事实真相：博诺是高地风险投资公司（Elevation Partners）的合伙人之一。这是一家私募股权基金，曾于2009和2010年投资Facebook约2.1亿美元。如果以Facebook股价每股38美元计算，高地风险投资公司的股票价值接近15亿美元（包括其在IPO期间售出的大约1.75亿美元股票）。

    不过，这并不意味着博诺“能从万众期待的IPO中获得高达15亿美元。”甚至远远没有这么多。

    首先，博诺只是高地风险投资公司的六位创始合伙人之一。所以说，（减去原始投资后）他最多能获得2.16亿美元。不过，我们还必须知道，高地风险投资公司只能获取其交易净收益的20%，剩下的都属于其有限责任合伙人。所以，转瞬之间，博诺的收入就减少到区区4,300万美元。

    最后，高地风险投资公司首发基金的优先收益率为8%。E它的首发基金总值为19亿美元，这意味着在其合伙人开始获得任何收益之前，该基金必须向投资人回报超过20亿美元。多亏了Facebook和点评网站Yelp，高地风险投资公司的目标也许已经实现了，但它仍然是我们计算博诺收益时要考虑的一个因素。

    所以，博诺最多能获得4,300万美元。换句话说，只是比小甜甜布兰妮•斯皮尔斯担任两年《英国偶像》（The X Factor）评委的收入高一点。与传闻的保罗•麦卡特尼的10.4亿美元净资产相比，更是小巫见大巫。显然，Facebook对博诺不薄，但远非外界所描绘的那么好。

    译者：项航

    Of course, HuffPo was not alone. Similar sophistry was posted at MSN, music blog NME and, most egregiously, on NASDAQ's own website.

    Here's the reality: Bono is a partner with Elevation Partners, a private equity firm that invested around $210 million into Facebook in 2009 and 2010. At $38 per share, the position is valued at approximately $1.5 billion (including around $175m sold during the IPO).

    But that doesn't mean Bono "could stand to make up to $1.5 billion off the widely anticipated IPO." Not even close.

    First, Bono was one of just six founding partners of Elevation Partners. So, at best he'd get $216 million (once the original investment is subtracted). But then you have to realize that Elevation only receives 20% of the profits on its deal, with the rest going to its limited partners. So, suddenly, Bono's take is down to $43 million.

    Finally, Elevation's debut fund featured an 8% preferred return. That means Elevation's $1.9 billion debut fund must already have returned more than $2 billion before any of its partners begin collecting any profit whatsoever. It probably got there, thanks to Facebook and Yelp (YELP), but it should still be factored into the equation.

    So, again, at best Bono gets $43 million. Or, in other words, just more than Britney Spears will make for two years of judging The X Factor. Let alone Paul McCartney's reported $1.04 billion net worth. Clearly Facebook has been good to Bono, but not nearly as good as is being portrayed...