James Comey Net Worth - Pulptastic
What is James Comey’s Net Worth?
James Comey, the former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has a net worth of $16 million. He made his fortune through private speeches and his time serving as general counsel and SVP of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund. Comey worked at Bridgewater from 2010 to 2013, earning a salary of $6 million in his final year and a $3 million profit participation payout after he left.
Comey’s career includes serving as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003, United States Deputy Attorney General from 2003 to 2005, and general counsel and senior vice president of Lockheed Martin in 2005. He became the 7th Director of the FBI in 2013, a position he held until he was fired by President Donald Trump in mid-2017.
Comey’s involvement in the investigation of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is controversial. As FBI Director, he announced an investigation into Clinton less than two weeks before the 2016 election, leading some to believe that his actions may have cost Clinton the presidency.
James Comey’s Earnings
During his tenure as FBI director, James Comey made $185,000 annually.
While working at Bridgewater from 2010 to 2013, Comey earned several million dollars in compensation each year, with his final year peaking at $6 million.
As a private speaker, Comey can earn up to $200,000 per speech, exceeding his entire annual FBI salary by $15,000.
James Comey’s Book Deal
In 2017, James Comey signed a book deal that paid him a $2 million advance. The resulting book, titled “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” was released in 2018.
Early Life and Education
James Comey was born on December 14, 1960 in Yonkers, New York to Joan and J. Brien. In the early 70s, the family moved to Allendale, New Jersey, where Comey’s father did corporate real estate and his mother worked as a computer consultant.
Comey attended Northern Highlands Regional High School and went on to graduate from the College of William & Mary in 1982. He then earned his JD from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985.
Early Career
After graduating from law school, Comey worked as a law clerk for US district judge John M. Walker Jr. He then became an associate at the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Comey worked for the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York from 1987 to 1993, where he also served as deputy chief of the Criminal Division.
Early Career as a Prosecutor
James Comey began his career as a managing assistant US attorney in charge of the Richmond Division of the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in 1996. He then served as deputy special counsel to the Senate Whitewater Committee and was the lead prosecutor in the case focused on the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia.
Comey’s Tenure as US Attorney and Deputy Attorney General
In 2002, Comey was appointed as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he oversaw high-profile cases such as the indictment of Adelphia Communications founder John Rigas and the prosecution of Martha Stewart. He later became the deputy attorney general in late 2003, during which he faced criticism for his handling of Bush’s domestic surveillance program and for endorsing a memorandum allowing the use of torture by the CIA. However, Comey later objected to a second memorandum and spoke out against the use of torture techniques.
James Comey’s Career After Leaving DOJ
After leaving the Department of Justice in 2005, James Comey became the senior vice president and general counsel at Lockheed Martin. He held these positions until mid-2010 when he left to become general counsel at investment management firm Bridgewater Associates. Comey resigned from Bridgewater in early 2013.
Subsequently, he was appointed as a senior research scholar and Hertog fellow at Columbia University Law School. He was also named to the board of directors of HSBC Holdings.
Controversies During Comey’s Tenure as FBI Director
In 2013, James Comey became the new director of the FBI, succeeding Robert Mueller. However, his term was marked by controversy, starting in 2015 when he launched an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while in office.
A year later, Comey announced that the FBI would not recommend criminal charges related to Clinton’s emails. But just weeks before the 2016 presidential election, he decided to reopen the investigation, which was criticized by both sides of the political aisle.
Investigations were launched in 2017 into Comey and the FBI’s actions related to Clinton. However, the bureau’s other major investigation was of Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump administration’s alleged involvement. Comey was fired by President Trump in May of that year, leading to claims of obstruction of justice.
James Comey’s Post-FBI Career
After being fired from the FBI, Comey returned to the College of William & Mary to teach a course on ethical leadership. He also wrote his first book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” and contributed op-eds to the Washington Post and the New York Times.
“The Comey Rule” Miniseries Depicts Turbulent FBI Tenure
Showtime’s two-part television miniseries “The Comey Rule” portrays James Comey’s controversial tenure as director of the FBI in 2020. The drama, based on Comey’s autobiography and written and directed by Billy Ray, stars Jeff Daniels as Comey and Brendan Gleeson as Trump.
Family and Personal Life
James Comey married Patrice Failor in 1987 after meeting as students at the College of William & Mary. They have five children together and had a sixth child who passed away in infancy. The couple has also fostered children.
Real Estate Investments of James Comey
In 2010, James Comey and his wife purchased a 7-bedroom mansion in Westport, Connecticut for $3.05 million. The property was listed for sale in June 2015 for just under $4 million but sold in January 2017 for $2.475 million.
In April 2017, the Comeys bought another property, an 11,000 square foot mansion in McLean, Virginia, for $2.8 million.
