- Robert F. Kennedy Junior is the son of late politician Robert F. Kennedy
- RFK Jr is also a politician and environmental lawyer
- RFK Jr could be the next Secretary Of Health picked by Donald Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Junior has been in the news recently. Not only have his political views raised eyebrows in the past, but so have the things his cousin has said about him too. Caroline Kennedy says some damning things about him in a letter, especially regarding vacination. However, RFK Jr has continued his time in the spotlight in politics, law and beyond, building his reputation and net worth.
BREAKING
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 28, 2025
Caroline Kennedy, the former Ambassador to Japan and Australia and the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, has written a letter to US Senators about her cousin Robert Kennedy Jr.
In the letter she says that her cousin is a “predator” whose victims have ranged from… pic.twitter.com/jsDnMk1NhK
The letter has been addressed to the US senate, but it hasn’t stopped RFK Jr or his political career yet. Being born into the esteemed Kennedy family, politics is in RFK Jr’s blood. He is the son of senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy. RFK Jr started his career in the 1980s as an assistant district attorney, and he later became an environmental lawyer. Later he became a professor of environmental law at Pace University Law School in 1986.
Read More: RFK JR: top times he has caused controversy
Political spearhead
His political career has been active. Previously he was a registered Democrat. Although he ran as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election. But, get this, he withdrew from the race and endorsed President Trump. Now, he is set to be a part of Trump’s government as the Health secretary. But bare in mind, he doesn’t officially have the job yet.
As a man with a long career in law, politics and even as an activist (sort of), people are curious about the potential new Health secretary. But aside from his esteemed status as a Kennedy, how much is RFK JR worth?
RFK Jr’s early life
RFK JR was born at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington DC on January 17, 1954. He is the third child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel. Not to mention the nephew of a former president, no biggie.
University
He had an affluent upbringing, being raised between the Kennedy Compound and the family’s estate in Hickory Hill, Virginia. He attended Palfrey Street School as a teenager. The young Kennedy went onto study a Bachelors of Arts in American History and Literature at Harvard University. Kennedy graduated in 1976. The young man continued his education, obtaining a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia Law School in 1982. Five years later, he obtained a Masters of Law from Pace University.
RFK Jr had a turbulent childhood. His uncle JFK was assassinated when he was nine, and his father when he was 14. He spoke at his father’s funeral and his death caused him to turn to substances. The habit caused him to be arrested when he was 16 and made him get kicked out of two boarding schools. Kennedy was known at this time for his habit, and for being rebellious.
RFk Jr’s Career
As we have said, Kennedy worked as an assistant district attorney in 1982 briefly, but resigned when he failed the bar exam in 1983.
Environmental career
Kennedy’s work as an environmental activist spans decades. He began volunteering in 1984 at the Hudson River Fisherman’s Association, a.k.a Riverkeeper. After he passed the bar in 1985, he worked for them as an environmental lawyer.
In his role, Kennedy would supervise environmental enforcement lawsuits, meaning lawsuits that would be in place because of broken environmental rules. Kennedy fought against companies who would try to stop environmental practices for their benefit. In 1995 under Riverkeeper, JFK Jr advocated to repeal legislation that was bad for the environment. He left the company in 2017.
Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic
In 1987 he founded the Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic at his former alma mater. He worked for 30 years as the clinic’s supervising attorney. In his job, RFK Jr taught students practicing environmental law. His students were even allowed under New York special order to try and practice cases.
Mainly the clinic worked to sue the Hudson River and government authorities for pollution and negative environmental cases. For his efforts, Kennedy was given the Heroes Award by Men’s Journal in 2001. An environmentally aware man, we love it.
RFK Jr’s environmental law firm & other work
One of his biggest moments of his career was forming his environmental law firm, Kennedy & Madonna LLP along with another environmental lawyer, Kevin Madonna.
The firm is still going and takes on environmental cases for non-profits, people, states, Indian tribes and more. One of their biggest cases in 2004 secured a $70 million settlement for property owners who lived in Pensacola in Florida because of contamination on their properties.
Alongside this lawsuit, RFK Jr has been a part of many huge environmental cases that were fought by Kennedy and Madonna LLP.
Morgan and Morgan Work
Kennedy became a part of the Morgan and Morgan law firm in 2016. In this role, he still works as an attorney for Morgan and Morgan, suing and bringing cases on the grounds of environmental misconduct.
Other career highlights of RFK Jr
In 1999, Kennedy co-created a bottled water company, Keeper Springs. Kennedy also co-founded the New York Board of Conservation Voters, an American environmental advocacy group. The environmental activist even formed his own environmental news site, Eco Watch.
And there’s more, but we’ll get into his investment’s and other work later.
RFK Jr’s Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, RFK Jr is only worth $20 million. We say only because for his long career and his status as a Kennedy, you’d think he may be worth more. However, other sources say he is worth up t0 $30 million, but no source is 100 percent verified.
Earnings
Law services
For his specific earnings, not everything is publicly disclosed. The Kennedys are a private family, so many financial records may be under wraps. However, there is some information on how much RFK Jr can earn from his consulting and legal work.
Celebrity Net Worth notes that “according to a June 2023 financial disclosure, in the 12 months between April 2022 and April 2023, Robert earned $8 million”. Primarily this could be to do with his role as an attorney at Kennedy and Madonna LLP. This is one of JFK Jr’s longest companies.
Children’s Health Defense
One of Kennedy’s frequent controversies is his stance on vaccinations. He is very outspoken as an anti-vax activist. RFK Jr founded the non-profit in 2016. Children’s Health Defense is an advocacy group for children’s health, apparently.
They focus on vaccination and advocating for medical freedom. However, the organization has been criticized for indulging in conspiracy theories and reporting vaccine misinformation, but that is not what we’re here to talk about.
No, according to some sources, Kennedy’s role as a founder and involvement in the CHD earned him $326,000 in 2023. As a note, we must stress that the earnings from Kennedy’s financial endeavours have been heavily scrutinized partly in their accuracy and amounts.
In 2024, his income from his anti-vax work, legal work and appearances earned him $10 million approximately.
Kennedy family fortune of RFk Jr
How could we talk about RFK Jr without talking about his family? The Kennedys have been rich for decades, and RFK Jr is no exception. In fact, some sources say RFK Jr earns money from oil and gas in his family trust.
Controversially he allegedly earned from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, between $17,759 and $29,257 from Arctic Royalty. Artic Royalty rents out land to extract gas and oil in Texas, Oklahoma and other states.
Real Estate of RFK Jr
The Kennedys have their own compound, so of course RFK Jr has some mega real estate. His real estate portfolio is a mixture from the Kennedys and his own ventures.
Outside of his personal homes, he owns a stake in Wolf Point development in Chicago. The development was owned by his grandfather, Joseph P. Kennedy. The development is a luxury one with apartments and workspaces.
In his personal life, Kennedy bought a property with his wife Cheryl Hines, who he married in 2014. That year the couple paid $4.95 million for a property in Malibu. In June 2017 they sold that home for $6 million.
Later they bought a $5.2 million mansion in the LA neighbourhood of Brentwood. It’s a Cap Cod style home, a place where RFK Jr spent much of his childhood.
Investments and endorsements of RFK Jr
Disclosure forms say that RFK Jr has a huge investment in Bitcoin. Through the Fidelity crypto company, he holds between $1 to 5 million in cryptocurrency. Well, then.
Reports also say he has stock in other companies like Amazon, and Apple.
Biotech
Since he could soon be confirmed as the secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy says he’d stop his investments with these companies.
The 71-year-old has public investments in two biotech companies. In CRISPR Therapeutics he has a small investment and in Dragonfly Therapeutics.
In companies, he has had multiple investments. We spoke about his earnings from Artic Royalty. VantagePoint Capital Partners is also a company he has invested in.
RFK Jr’s financial liabilities
It should be noted that as we said his earnings have been regarded with scepticism. However, RFK Jr has reported debt before, reporting up to $1.2 million in credit card debt, according to ABC News.
Whether you like his politics or him as a person, RFK Jr has had a illustrious career in different fields. He has built himself a reputation in law, and amassed a huge net worth alongside his Kennedy riches.
