Bernard Kerik's Checkered History Left Him With a Pretty Small Net Worth
Bernard Kerik's net worth isn't as high as it once was.
Published May 30 2025, 10:04 a.m. ET
Like Rudy Giuliani, who was the mayor of New York on 9/11, Bernard Kerik's life turned out to be much more complicated than the heroism that he displayed in the aftermath of that terror attack. Kerik, who died in late May at the age of 69, was the NYPD Commissioner on 9/11 and went on to serve in the Bush administration before he was convicted on charges of tax fraud and making false statements.
Following the news of his death, many wanted to know what Kerik's net worth was. Here's what we know.
What was Bernard Kerik's net worth?
There isn't much public reporting about Bernard's net worth at the time of his death, but his net worth might have been as low as $1 million. The former NYPD commissioner made $12 million over the span of six years in the aftermath of 9/11, but he lost most of that money after being convicted of tax fraud. He was eventually pardoned on those charges by Donald Trump and then became a key figure in Trump's denial that he had lost the 2020 election.
Bernard Kerik
Former NYPD Commissioner
Net worth: $1 million
Bernard Kerik is a former NYPD Commissioner best known for being in the job on 9/11. He eventually joined the Bush administration and was later convicted of tax fraud and making false statements. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison and eventually served three. He was then pardoned by President Trump and went on to become part of the Stop the Steal movement.
Birthdate: Sept. 4, 1955
Birthplace: Newark, N.J.
Birth Name: Bernard Bailey Kerik
Father: Donald Raymond Kerik Sr.
Mother: Patricia Joann
What was Bernard Kerik's cause of death?
Kerik's death was first confirmed on social media by the New York Police Department, but it didn't offer any details about his cause of death. FBI Director Kash Patel, meanwhile, wrote that Kerik had died after a "private battle with illness." We still don't know exactly how he died, then, but Patel's statement suggests that he had been ill for some amount of time prior to his death.
Following the news of his death, Rudy Giuliani memorialized Kerik on his show.
"We've been together since the beginning. He's like my brother," Giuliani said through tears. "I was a better man for having known Bernie. I certainly was a braver and stronger man."
Like Giuliani, Patel also sought to valorize the more heroic aspects of Kerik's resume.
"He was decorated more than 100 times for bravery, valor, and service, having rescued victims from burning buildings, survived assassination attempts, and brought some of the world's most dangerous criminals to justice," Patel wrote. "His legacy is not just in the medals or the titles, but in the lives he saved, the city he helped rebuild, and the country he served with honor."
Of course, Kerik's legacy depends in part on who you talk to. He was either one of the heroes of 9/11 or a fraud who took advantage of his position of power. Undoubtedly, he'll be remembered for some time either way.