RFK Jr. is a bitcoin bag holder despite May conference speech

Policy • July 9, 2023, 5:59PM EDT

UPDATED: July 9, 2023, 6:01PM EDT

Quick Take

Presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told conference goers he wasn’t invested in bitcoin in May, but June documents shows he is invested in the cryptocurrency.

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told revelers at a May conference in Miami that he was not a bitcoin investor, but June financial documents revealed he has a bag, according to a report by CNBC.

As per financial documents filed on June 30, the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy has between $100,001 and $250,000 worth of bitcoin held within a brokerage account. A representative for the presidential hopeful told CNBC that the investment was made after a pro-Bitcoin speech he delivered at Bitcoin Miami. The representative also said the investment does not represent a conflict of interest.

As CNBC noted, Kennedy is a proponent of bitcoin, tweeting that "Bitcoin is not only a bulwark against totalitarianism and the manipulation of our money supply, it points the way toward a future in which government institutions are more transparent and more democratic.”

Kennedy's campaign first told CNBC that the investment was made by his wife, former "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress Cheryl Hines, but later confirmed that it belonged to the presidential candidate.

Kennedy is part of a cadre of pro-crypto candidates that spans Republican Senator Ted Cruz and other presidential hopefuls like Florida governor Ron DeSantis.

About Author

Frank Chaparro is Host of The Scoop podcast and Director of Special Projects. He also writes a biweekly newsletter. Chaparro started his career at Business Insider, where he specialized in the intersection of digital assets and Wall Street, market structure, and financial technology. Soon after joining Business Insider out of Fordham University, Chaparro was interviewing top finance and tech executives, including billionaire Mark Cuban, “Flash Boys” star Brad Katsuyama, Cboe Global Markets CEO Ed Tilly, and New York Stock Exchange President Tom Farley. In 2018, he become a sought after reporter in the crypto world, interviewing luminaries such as Tyler Winklevoss, the cofounder of Gemini, Jeremy Allaire, the CEO of Circle, and Fundstrat head Tom Lee. For inquiries or tips, email [email protected].