Last Updated: March 5, 2024
Info
Category:
Richest BusinessLawyers
Net Worth:
$50 Million
Birthdate:
Jan 17, 1954 (70 years old)
Birthplace:
Washington, D.C.
Gender:
Male
Profession:
Lawyer, Writer, Author, Presenter, Activist
Nationality:
United States of America
💰 Compare Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s Net Worth

What is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s net worth?

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is an American radio host, attorney, and activist who has a net worth of $50 million. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former U.S. president John Fitzgerald Kennedy. His father, Bobby, was assassinated when Robert Jr. was 14. Robert Jr. is known for making a number of controversial public statements including those related to the anti-vaccine community and other various conspiracy theories.

Early Life

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was born on January 17, 1954, in Washington, D.C. He is the third of eleven children by parents Ethel Kennedy and Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. He grew up both in McLean, Virginia, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where the family maintained homes. He attended Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Maryland.

When he was 14 years old, his father was assassinated while running for president in the 1968 Democratic presidential primaries. He learned of the news while at school in Maryland and immediately flew to Los Angeles in order to visit his father, who was still alive but wounded. He arrived in time to be with his father at the time of his death and then served as a pallbearer at his funeral.

Kennedy then attended Palfrey Street School in Massachusetts and then enrolled at Harvard University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in American History and Literature. He then enrolled at the University of Virginia, where he received his Juris Doctor degree, and then at Pace University, where he received a Master of Laws.

Kennedy began his career in 1983 as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan. He then joined Hudson Riverkeeper in 1984 as an investigator and was promoted to senior attorney in 1985 after he was admitted to the New York bar.

In 1987, Kennedy founded the Environmental Litigation Clinic at Pace University School of Law and served as the clinic's supervising attorney and co-director for three decades. Through the clinic, Kennedy worked with law students on environmental issues, such as forcing waste-water treatment plants into compliance with the Clean Water Act. In a 2010 case, Pace's clinic forced ExxonMobil to clean up tens of millions of gallons of oil from refinery spills in Brooklyn, New York.

In 2000, Kennedy formed the environmental law firm of Kennedy & Madonna, LLP, along with fellow attorney Kevin Madonna. The firm focuses on environmental litigation cases. Some of the notable cases they have worked on include representing the Ramapough Mountain Indian Tribe against Ford Motor Company regarding the dumping of toxic waste on tribal lands. They also worked against DuPont in a case involving contamination from a DuPont zinc plant in West Virginia. For his work on the case, Kennedy was one of three finalists nominated as "Trial Lawyer of the Year" by Public Justice. In 2016, Kennedy joined the Morgan & Morgan P.A. law firm as counsel. Other issues that Kennedy has focused on in his legal career include representing poor and minority communities who bear the burden of environmental pollution, indigenous rights cases, and pollution caused by factory farming. He has also been an advocate for transitioning away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy and has been particularly critical of the oil industry.

Vaccine Beliefs

Outside of his legal career, Kennedy is the chairman of the Children's Health Defense, an advocacy group that argues that exposure to certain chemicals and radiation is the root cause of a number of conditions like autism, food allergies, ADHD, and various autoimmune diseases that affect children. He has been particularly vocal in the anti-vaccine community, often alleging that there's a link between various vaccinations and autism. He further vocalized during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic that he believed a number of government officials and foundations were trying to profit from widespread vaccination against COVID-19.

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Personal Life

In April of 1982, Kennedy married Emily Ruth Black. The two had met in law school at the University of Virginia. The two had two children during their marriage: Robert Francis Kennedy III and Kathleen Alexandra Kennedy. In 1992, the couple decided to separate and officially divorced in 1994.

In April of 1994, Kennedy married Mary Kathleen Richardson. The ceremony took place on a research vessel on the Hudson River. During their marriage, the couple had four children together: Conor Richardson Kennedy, Kyra LeMoyne Kennedy, William Finbar Kennedy, and Aidan Caohman Kennedy. In 2010, Kennedy filed for divorce from Mary. Two years later, in 2012, Mary was found dead on the grounds of her home in Mount Kisco, New York. Her death was ruled to be a suicide by asphyxiation from hanging.

In April of 2014, Kennedy married actress and director Cheryl Hines at the Kennedy compound in Massachusetts. The two had met via mutual friend Larry David, who knew Hines from his HBO series, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." The two had begun dating in 2012.

(Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Kennedy was involved in a number of controversies throughout his life, having been charged with possession of marijuana and heroin. In 1983, at the age of 29, he was arrested in South Dakota at the airport for heroin possession after nearly overdosing on a flight. He was sentenced to two years of probation and 1,500 hours of community service. He then entered a drug treatment center. In 2013, the New York Post released excerpts from Kennedy's 2001 diary in which Kennedy described having multiple affairs throughout his marriages.

Kennedy has devoted himself to several hobbies. He is a licensed master falconer and has trained hawks since the age of 11. He also enjoys whitewater kayaking and has undertaken a number of "first-descent" whitewater expeditions around the world.

Real Estate

In September 2014, a few months after marrying, Robert and Cheryl paid $4.995 million for a compound in Malibu. They sold this home in June 2017 for a bit over $6 million to Kenny G's ex-wife Lyndie Benson.

The same month as their Malibu sale, Robert and Cheryl paid $5.2 million for a mansion in LA's Brentwood neighborhood, specifically an area called Mandeville Canyon.

All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below.
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