The life and rise of Peter Thiel, the successful and controversial investor who is reportedly leaving Silicon Valley

Peter Thiel, one of Silicon Valley's most successful and controversial venture capitalists, is reportedly leaving the Bay Area.

The outspoken libertarian will reportedly relocate his home, personal funds, and his foundation to Los Angeles, according to The Wall Street Journal, and he's taking his 50-person staff with him.

Why Los Angeles? It isn't totally clear.

As a famously private person, Thiel has yet to confirm the move, or the rumors that he might also be resigning from the board at Facebook. Still, it's worth taking this time to look at Thiel's rise to fame in the tech capital of the world - a saga that includes his effort to stop aging and death, his controversial thoughts about college, and his war with the media: