Richard Jewell Net Worth: How Rich Was He In 2023

Richard Jewell is probably the most well-known security officer in the USA; he is known for alerting the police and public before the Centennial Olympic Park bombing during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Richard Jewell’s net worth is about $8 million.

	Richard Jewell Net Worth
Name	Richard Allensworth White
Nickname	Rick Jewell
Birthday	17 December 1962
Date of Death	29 August 2007
Age	44
Gender	Male
Height	N/A
Weight	N/A
Partner	Dana Jewell
Kids	No
Parents	Bobi White Jewell, Robert Earl White
Siblings	N/A
Nationality	American
Profession	Police Officer
Net Worth	$8 million

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What is Richard Jewell’s Net Worth?

Richard Jewell had a net worth of about $8 million. Most of his money came from libel suits because of the false media claims against him.

He worked as a security guard and later had various law enforcement jobs. He was married to his girlfriend Dana, but they had no children.

Richard Jewell’s Early Life

Richard Jewell was born Richard Allensworth White on 17 December 1962 in Danville, Virginia. His mom’s name was Bobi Jewell, and she worked as an insurance claims coordinator; his biological father was Robert Earl White, who worked for Chevrolet.

His parents divorced when he was four, his mom remarried an insurance executive, and his stepfather John Jewell legally adopted Richard. There is very little information regarding Richard Jewell’s early life and education.

Richard Jewell’s Personal Life

Richard Jewell married Dana Jewell in 1998, and they remained married until he died in 2007. The couple bought a farm south of Atlanta, where they moved after the ordeal. The couple did not have any children.

Jewell was diagnosed with diabetes, which was ultimately the cause of his death in 2007. He suffered kidney failure and other diabetes-related health issues and eventually died from a severe heart attack due to his diabetes problems.

Richard Jewell’s Weight, Height, and Measurement

The exact height and weight of Richard Jewell are not known, but from the videos and images, we can conclude that he was overweight and had a ruddy complexion.

Career: How Much Does Richard Jewell Make?

Richard Jewell worked as a security officer and earned a median pay until 1996. During the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, Richard worked as a security officer assigned to the Centennial Olympic Park.

The Centennial Olympic Park was the Olympics center, and thousands of spectators and athletes gathered for a late concert on 27 July 1996. Jewell discovered a suspicious green backpack with a fragment-laden pipe bomb under a bench.

He alerted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and called 9-1-1 to warn the police. He and the other security guards began clearing the immediate area around the bomb and prepared for the arrival of the bomb squad.

About 13 minutes later, the bomb exploded and killed one person, injuring over 100 others. A cameraman died from a heart attack while running to film the incident.

While the early news dubbed Jewel as the hero who prevented a massive death toll, he was soon treated as a possible suspect. The news focused on presuming he was the guilty bomber, labeling Jewell as a person of interest. He was also portrayed as a failed law enforcement officer who may have planted the bomb to become the hero later.

However, he was cleared as a suspect after the FBI publicly searched his home twice, questioned his associates, and investigated Jewell in-depth. Still, the public’s opinion of Jewell was skewed, even after he successfully passed a polygraph test.

The US Attorney in Atlanta sent a letter informing Jewell that he was no longer considered a target of the investigation. Still, the letter did not apologize for the treatment of Jewell.

The Justice Department also issued a statement informing the public that Richard Jewell had not been charged with any crime related to the bombing. They even admitted to wrongly accusing Jewell, and it was later discovered that Eric Rudolph was the actual bomber and was apprehended and pleaded guilty.

Richard Jewell worked various law enforcement jobs, like a police officer and later as a deputy sheriff. In 1997, Jewel testified before a House of Representatives subcommittee, calling for an independent investigation of the FBI methods used in the investigation of him.

After being acquitted, Jewell filed libel suits against NBC News, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CNN, the New York Post, and Piedmont College. Almost all the suits were settled out of court for undisclosed monetary amounts; only the Atlanta Journal did not settle, but the lawsuit continued well after Jewell’s death.

NBC paid Jewell a fine of $500,000; the New York Post was sued for $15 million, and that was settled for an undisclosed amount; the college also settled for an undisclosed amount. Richard Jewell did not sue the FBI against popular opinions.

All of the settlements made Richard Jewell a millionaire, but he continued to live on his farm with his wife and work in law enforcement. He said that he was not after the money but about clearing his name and that most money went to lawyers and taxes.

Jewel appeared in the Michael Moore film The Big One and on an episode of Saturday Night Live.

A biographical movie about Richard Jewell based on actual events directed and produced by Clint Eastwood was released on 13 December 2019; the 2020 season two of the crime drama anthology series Manhunt centered on the bombings and mentioned Richard Jewell.

Is Richard Jewell a Millionaire?

Richard Jewell had a net worth of about $8 million at the time of his death. His estate has increased his net worth by an undisclosed amount. Jewell’s money comes from the settlements the various news outlets paid him for the defamation of his name and the unjust chase against him. He was married to Dana Jewell, but they had no kids.

Is Richard Jewell Self-made?

Richard Jewell was a self-made millionaire who made his millions after he was unjustly labeled as a bomber in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics bombing. While initially called the hero who saved hundreds, the media later accused him as an attention-seeking bomber. However, after the Justice Department exonerated Jewell, he sued several news mediums for libel and won most of the lawsuits, ending with undisclosed settlements worth several million.

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