In the early 21st century, there arose a notable trend of Oligarchs exploring commercial ventures for suborbital flight. In some cases, a few of them went on flights themselves. Their steps were small and incremental... as a cover.
In reality, the technology for space colonization was far more advanced than they were letting on. The PowersThatBe had mandated to members that they keep such technology secret, for if it reached widespread public knowledge, the general population might panic.
REWRITE:
In the early 21st century, the Illuminati found that it was beyond even their means to alleviate climate change in the face of Ziggurat's positive feedback loop of environmental exploitation. They started secretly assembling plans and technology for a Lunar Colony.
Several oligarchs made big public shows of tentative low-orbit flights, like Geoff Lutjanus and Eilam Fetor