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Michael Flynn, the former National Security Adviser, who was scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2018, is not an incredibly wealthy man, in part because he spent so many years in government service.
However, he has proven ability to bring in income, once earning more than $800,000 a year through his consulting business.
It’s also a certainty that Flynn’s legal battles have depleted his family’s resources, however. The former military leader was convicted on accusations that he lied to federal investigators about his contacts with the Russian ambassador – as part of the sweeping Robert Mueller probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Michael Flynn Net Worth: Between $480,000 and $1 Million
Sites that calculate net worth for prominent people generally put Flynn’s net worth at less than $1 million. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Flynn is worth around $600,000.
Another site puts Flynn’s net worth at between $480,000 to $1 million, noting he also brought in money in consulting work and speaking fees.
Here’s what you need to know about Michael Flynn’s net worth and income sources:
1. Michael Flynn Spent the Majority of His Career in Government Work
Michael and Lori Flynn.
One reason that Flynn’s net worth is not higher: He has spent decades in the military and public service, serving as an United States Army Lieutenant General for decades and as the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency before becoming the National Security Adviser.
At the University of Rhode Island, Flynn studied management science and joined ROTC. He was commissioned as an Army second lieutenant when he graduated from college in 1981, the university says. He also has an MBA and graduated from the U.S. Naval War College, CNN said.
Flynn also had a lucrative consulting business before his legal troubles.
His son, Michael, served as the chief of staff at Flynn Intel Group, according to his Facebook page; his father was CEO of the organization, which says it “provides elite intelligence services and solutions to industry and government worldwide.” Until the family became embroiled in legal controversies, Michael, the son, often posted statuses about his father’s media appearances, although he sometimes makes political commentary, writing: “Rule of Law officially deteriorating in this country after #ClintonEmails announcement….”
2. Flynn Sold a Townhouse To Pay His Legal Bills
Michael and Lori Flynn
One sign that Flynn is somewhat strapped for cash: He sold a townhouse he owned to help pay for his mounting legal fees. According to Realtor.com, the home in Alexandra, Virginia went on the market for $850,000.
Flynn “married his high school sweetheart, Lori Andrade,” said the University of Rhode Island. The Flynns have been married for more than 30 years, and Lori’s Facebook page has been filled with pictures of her husband and grandchildren.
The university quoted Michael Flynn as saying: “Lori has been a steady presence in the lives of thousands of soldiers and their families during my numerous deployments and has played the role of not only mom, but dad, coach, teacher, and at times, taxi driver for our two sons, Michael and Matt, as well as for hundreds of other children. She’s always willing to volunteer her time for others.”
Flynn and his wife, Lori, had purchased the property for $700,000 in 2012, Realtor.com reports. The home has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and you can see photos of its interior here, right down to Michael Flynn’s clothing still hanging in the closet.
3. Flynn’s Family Members Set Up a Legal Defense Fund to Help Him
Michael and Lori Flynn.
Some of Flynn’s siblings asked the public to help him pay his legal fees through a legal defense fund. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, this has been a trying experience” for Flynn, his brother Joe Flynn told ABC News. “It has been a crucible and it’s not over.”
The ABC News story reports that Joe Flynn helped set up the fund but wouldn’t reveal how much it had raised. He said the family “has been surprised and deeply moved by the thousands of individual donations they’ve received,” according to ABC News.
In 2017, Flynn wrote on Twitter, “Lori and I are very grateful to my brother Joe and sister Barbara for creating a fund to help pay my legal defense costs. We deeply appreciate the support of family and friends across this nation who have touched our lives.”
The Legal Defense Fund page reads, “Lieutenant General (Retired) Michael T. Flynn (‘Mike’) honorably served in the United States Army for over 33 years in a variety of conventional and special forces assignments, with duty in places such as Grenada, Haiti, Central America, Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations in support of the war against terrorism and against other enemies of our country. He served at every level of intelligence command and staff, culminating in his assignment as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and as the senior most serving military intelligence officer in the Department of Defense.”
The page continues, “Upon retirement, Mike advised on and helped develop security solutions in fields ranging from cyber security to unmanned aerial systems and other high-tech capabilities. He was also a frequently requested commentator for numerous U.S. and international media outlets, as well as a highly sought-after speaker for his views on a variety of homeland security and international security related subjects, such as the fight against terrorism, the serious threat cyber-attacks present for every aspect of our society, and the challenges of conventional conflict between nations. Mike was requested to speak to members of Congress both formally and informally on these and other subjects on numerous occasions. He also co-authored a New York Times best selling book, The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies.”
4. Flynn Was Born to a Large Middle Class Military Family
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, then director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, testifies during a hearing before the House (Select) Intelligence Committee February 4, 2014 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Michael Flynn was not born into a family of great means.
Flynn’s parents, Helen and Charles Flynn, had nine children. Flynn recalled sharing bunk beds as a child with his brother Charlie, who also became a general. Their father was also a soldier; he was a veteran of World War II and Korea and a retired Army sergeant first class, according to the Defense Intelligence Agency. In civilian life, Flynn’s father was a “small-town banker.”
“Mike and Charlie were great friends and good athletes,” Helen told the university. She said they both excelled at sports. “Football, basketball, baseball, you name it. They both loved the water. They were lifeguards during the summers at Second Beach and later played water polo at URI. Being from such a large family, I think all the children learned to compete at an early age and gained the self-confidence needed to accomplish what they set out to do.”
The Flynns at a sporting event. Michael Flynn has Tweeted his support for the New England Patriots. He also likes the Boston Red Sox. (Facebook/Lori Flynn)
Helen Flynn’s obituary in Patch says she traveled the world with her husband “and raised their ever-growing military family pitching her ‘tent’ wherever that may have been for 20 years before returning to their hometown in 1963.” She was also from a military family.
The obituary called Flynn’s mother “a woman of honor and faith in God, intellectual curiosity and a voracious reader and writer; a true patriot, a formidable leader and a beloved Mother, who stood tall for what she believed in against the odds and celebrated the achievements of her brood. Her faith was her guide.” She once ran for State Representative in Middletown, Rhode Island and for the U.S. Senate and was a Democrat, said the obit.
5. Flynn Amended His Financial Disclosure Form
Flynn in the military.
An amended financial disclosure form from his time as National Security Adviser gives a deeper glimpse into Flynn’s finances. He was listed as a board member and adviser for multiple organizations.
The form reveals that Flynn once commanded thousands of dollars in speakers’ fees per talk. He had a 401K with between $50,000 and $100,000 and stock in multiple accounts. His salary for his consulting firm, Flynn Intel Group, was once more than $800,000, his financial form reports.
However, all of that came before Flynn’s legal woes. Flynn filed the amended report after controversy arose over his company’s lobbying work “for a Turkish businessman tied to the government of Turkey,” AP reports.
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