Bernard Kerik Was Married a Few Times and He Even Threw in Some Affairs for Good Measure

In May 2025, Bernard Kerik passed away at the age of 69. While his name might not be immediately familiar to most, he played a pivotal role following the Sept. 11 attacks. Bernard was the Commissioner of the New York Police Department and was one of the first responders at the World Trade Center after the first plane hit. He helped people evacuate while he dodged falling debris. At one point, the city's top cop hid in a nearby building as the World Trade Center collapsed.

According to his obituary in The New York Times, Bernard went on to make millions in the private sector as a security consultant for former mayor Rudy Giuliani's firm. After opening his own consulting firm, Bernard advised King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, and the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates. His private life was just as interesting as his work life. Bernard was married three times and had a couple of affairs. Here's what we know.

Although we are not here to discuss Bernard's legal issues, it's important to note that in 2009 he pleaded guilty to tax fraud and subsequently served three years in prison. He later became a staunch Trump supporter after the president pardoned him in 2020. Although he later admitted to having a few regrets in life, those decisions were not one of them. While stationed in South Korea in 1975, Bernard had a daughter with a woman he later abandoned. They were never married.

Three years later, he married Linda Hales, but they divorced in 1983. That same year, Bernard married Jacqueline Llerena. The couple had one son, Joseph Kerik. This marriage lasted until 1992. His third marriage was to Hala Matli in 1998. They had two daughters, Celine and Angelina, and resided in Franklin Lakes, N.J. Bernard and Hala were still married when he passed away on May 30. Now let's get to the affair that crossed paths with 9/11 first responders.

The rescue and recovery clean-up of the 1.8 million tons of wreckage from the World Trade Center took nine months, per DoSomething. During that time, rental properties were donated for the use of "weary police and rescue workers who were helping at ground zero," per The New York Times. A real estate executive told the outlet that Bernard used one of the units to conduct an affair with a woman named Judith Regan, who published his memoir in 2001. He reportedly rented the apartment.

This was not the only affair Bernard was having in the Battery Park City apartment. The reported he had another that lasted nearly a decade with city Correction Officer Jeanette Pinero. They found out about each other after Jeanette stumbled upon a love letter left by Judith for Bernard in the apartment. They later spoke with each other on the phone. These came to light after Bernard was nominated for Secretary of Homeland Security.