Net Worth Ranker
What Is Jeanine Pirro’s Net Worth?
Jeanine Pirro, an American judge, television personality, and author, has accumulated a net worth of approximately $14 million. This financial standing is the result of her multifaceted career spanning law, media, and authorship.
Jeanine Pirro’s Career and Income
Pirro’s career began in 1975 when she became an Assistant District Attorney in Westchester County. By 1993, she had risen to become the first female District Attorney of the county. Her annual salary at Fox News is $3 million. Pirro’s television presence began in 2008 with her show “Judge Jeanine Pirro” on The CW, which earned a Daytime Emmy in 2011. In January 2011, she launched “Justice with Judge Jeanine” on Fox News, further solidifying her media career. Pirro’s foray into authorship includes titles such as “To Punish and Protect” (2003), “Sly Fox” (2012), “Clever Fox” (2014), “He Killed Them All” (2015), “Liars, Leakers, and Liberals” (2018), “Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge” (2019), and “Don’t Lie to Me” (2020). These endeavors significantly contribute to Jeanine Pirro’s net worth, showcasing diverse revenue streams.
Early Life and Education
Born Jeanine Ferris on June 2, 1951, in Elmira, New York, Pirro’s early life laid the foundation for her future career. Growing up in a Maronite Catholic household with Lebanese-American parents, Nassar and Esther, and her sister Lulu, Pirro’s father worked as a mobile home salesman, while her mother was a department store model. Pirro’s ambition to become an attorney was evident from a young age, as she interned at the Chemung County District Attorney’s office during her time at Notre Dame High School. She pursued her higher education at the University at Buffalo, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. Furthering her legal aspirations, she attended Albany Law School of Union University, where she served as an editor of the law review and obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 1975.
Legal Career Details
In 1975, Pirro’s legal career commenced with her appointment as Assistant District Attorney of Westchester County by District Attorney Carl Vergari. Recognizing the need for specialized attention to domestic violence cases, she proposed the creation of a dedicated bureau to Vergari. Subsequently, in 1978, Pirro was appointed chief of the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Bureau, marking a significant step in her legal trajectory. In November 1990, Pirro transitioned from her role as Assistant District Attorney to become a judge of the Westchester County Court, defeating Democratic candidate Lawrence D. Lenihan and Right to Life Party candidate August C. Nimphius, Jr. After two years as Westchester County’s first female judge, she became the first female Westchester County District Attorney in November 1993 and was re-elected in 1997 and 2001. Her profile rose after the Anne Scripps Douglas-Scott Douglas murder-suicide in December 1993/January 1994 led to frequent media appearances. In June 1994, Jeanine often appeared on news programs to talk about the O.J. Simpson case. Pirro became the New York State District Attorneys Association’s first female president in 2001.
Political Endeavors
Pirro’s foray into politics began in 1986 when she was announced as the running mate of Andrew O’Rourke, Westchester County Executive, in the New York Lieutenant Gubernatorial race. However, she withdrew her name two days later due to concerns about her husband’s business interests and potential conflicts of interest. In August 2005, Pirro announced her intention to seek the Republican nomination to run against Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate election. She dropped out of the race four months later, stating, “I have decided that my law enforcement background better qualifies me for a race for New York State attorney general than a race for the United States Senate.” In 2006, Pirro was the Republican candidate for Attorney General of New York but lost to Democratic nominee Andrew Cuomo. During the campaign, Jeanine incurred $600,000 in debt to vendors, which remained unpaid as of 2019. These political endeavors have had varying degrees of impact on Jeanine Pirro’s net worth, highlighting the financial implications of political campaigns.
Television Career in Detail
Jeanine Pirro’s career in television has been extensive and varied, featuring numerous appearances as a guest analyst, legal expert, and guest host on prominent shows such as “Today,” “Larry King Live,” and “Geraldo at Large.” She has also been a regular contributor to “The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet,” showcasing her legal expertise and commentary. Pirro appeared in the HBO documentary miniseries “The Jinx,” sharing her experiences as the investigating attorney in the disappearance of Kathie Durst. From September 2008 to May 2011, Pirro starred on the weekday TV series “Judge Jeanine Pirro” on The CW. This role not only increased her visibility but also contributed significantly to her income, enhancing Jeanine Pirro’s net worth. In January 2011, she began hosting “Justice with Judge Jeanine” on Fox News, which has aired more than 350 episodes as of this writing. In 2017, she hosted the Fox series “You the Jury,” which was cancelled after just two episodes.
Personal Life Events
Jeanine married Albert J. Pirro, Jr. in 1975, after meeting at Albany Law School. The couple welcomed daughter Cristine on June 23, 1985, and son Alexander on March 23, 1989. In 2005, a Florida woman claimed that Albert had fathered her daughter in the early 1980s, and after DNA testing confirmed her allegations, Albert was ordered to start paying child support in 1998. In February 1999, Albert was indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on four counts of tax evasion, one count of conspiracy, and 28 counts of filing a false tax return after he hid more than $1 million of his personal income (classifying it as business expenses) from 1988 to 1997. Jeanine called the investigation “invasive and hostile” while appearing with Albert at a press conference the day of the indictment. In June 2000, Albert was found guilty on 23 of the charges, and a few months later, he received a sentence of 29 months in federal prison, but since he waived his right to appeal, he was given some leniency. Albert was released after serving 17 months, and in January 2021, he was pardoned by his former business partner Donald Trump near the end of Trump’s presidency. Jeanine and Albert separated in 2007, and the divorce was finalized in 2013. In November 2017, Jeanine was pulled over in Upstate New York while driving 119 miles per hour. She pleaded guilty to speeding and was ordered to pay a fine of $300 (plus a $93 surcharge) and take a defensive driving course. In 2018, Pirro’s book “Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy” revealed that Jeanine had been diagnosed with cancer six years earlier. In March 2019, she was suspended from Fox News for two weeks after making Islamophobic remarks about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. In February 2021, voting technology company Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion lawsuit against Pirro, Fox News, Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, Rudy Giuliani, and Sidney Powell for perpetuating lies about the 2020 election being stolen. The lawsuit states, “The Earth is round. Two plus two equals four. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 election for President and Vice President of the United States. The election was not stolen, rigged, or fixed. These are facts. They are demonstrable and irrefutable.”
Real Estate Investments
Jeanine Pirro’s real estate investments play a significant role in understanding Jeanine Pirro’s net worth. In 1988, Jeanine and Albert invested $425,000 to construct a 7,882 square foot home in Westchester County, New York. This property, featuring five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, has been periodically listed on the market. In 2000, it was listed for $5.2 million, followed by a listing for $4.295 million in 2007, and $4.995 million in 2015. By 2017, the asking price was reduced to $3.8 million, and further lowered to $3.4 million in August 2018. While specific details regarding the final sale price and any other real estate holdings are not provided, these transactions reflect the dynamic nature of her real estate portfolio and its contribution to Jeanine Pirro’s net worth.
