Jesse Ventura Net Worth, Early Life, Career, Income
Jesse Ventura is an American actor, author, and politician with a net worth of $7 million. He rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s as a professional wrestler and actor. From 1999 to 2003, he served as the governor of Minnesota.
Early Life
Born James George Janos in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1951, Jesse Ventura grew up in a family of World War II veterans. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1969 and served during the Vietnam War era until 1975. Upon returning home, he worked as a bodyguard for The Rolling Stones, adopting the name “Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura” when he began his wrestling career. Jesse Ventura wrestled for over a decade and later participated in several anti-steroid educational campaigns, admitting to steroid use. He retired from wrestling after suffering from blood clots, which he attributed to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.
Jesse Ventura Career
Acting Career
After retiring from wrestling, Ventura transitioned to TV commentary. He is a former American Wrestling Association World Tag Team champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. His acting career took off with his role alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film Predator (1987) and appearances in several other productions like The Running Man, Ricochet, Demolition Man, Batman & Robin, and The Master of Disguise. In early 2014, he launched his TV show, Jesse Ventura: Off the Grid on Ora TV.
Political Career
Jesse Ventura’s post-wrestling career led him into politics. He won his first campaign for mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, serving from 1991 to 1995. In 1998, he ran for governor of Minnesota as a candidate for the Reform Party, defeating both Democratic and Republican nominees in a surprising upset. He chose not to seek re-election and was succeeded by Tim Pawlenty in 2003.
Recent Work
After his political career, Jesse Ventura became the spokesperson for the online sportsbook BetUS and supported various candidates, including Ron Paul and later Gary Johnson during the 2012 presidential election. He faced criticism for questioning the government’s narrative on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which led to his TruTV show Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, running for three seasons. Additionally, he authored several books such as Don’t Start the Revolution Without Me, American Conspiracies, and 63 Documents the Government Doesn’t Want You to Read.
Salaries and Income
During a court case in 2014 against the estate of late Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, Ventura disclosed that his income from 2002 to 2012 totaled $11 million. His peak earnings occurred in 2003 when he made $3.8 million from MSNBC. In contrast, he earned only $676,000 in 2011.
Chris Kyle Lawsuit
In 2012, Chris Kyle published a book claiming to have knocked out an unnamed man referred to as “Scruff Face” during a bar fight over disparaging remarks about Navy SEALs. It was later revealed that “Scruff Face” was Jesse Ventura. He alleged that these claims damaged his reputation, resulting in declining book sales and ultimately leading to the cancellation of his TruTV show. After deliberation, a jury found that Ventura had been defamed by Kyle’s story, awarding him $500,000 for defamation and an additional $1.3 million for “unjust enrichment.”
Personal Life
Jesse Ventura has been married to his wife, Terry, since 1975, and they have two children together. The couple resides in both Minnesota and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
