Introduction

Van Jones is an American professional news commentator, author, and lawyer with an estimated net worth of $5 Million. 

In this profile, we’ll highlight our research into Van Jones’ net worth, business ventures, extensive philanthropic endeavors, and other aspects of his finances.

Dream.org

In 2015, Jones founded Dream.org (formerly Dream Corps), a non-profit that advocates for new legislation to address climate change, mass incarceration, and poverty. The organization also taught children from low-income households how to code.

In 2020, Jones’ environmental advocacy group Green for All, under the Dream.org umbrella, received a $10 million grant from Jeff Bezos. In 2021, Bezos recognized Jones’ philanthropic work and gifted the organization another $100 million. While some money was directed to new projects, including the Dream Machine Innovation Lab and grassroots organizations like Beat The Block, concerns grew within Dream.org about how the grant was being managed.

Finally, in 2023, Jones was removed from Dream.org with an unnamed source claiming unrest within the organization and financial mismanagement. Jones did not publicly comment on his departure, and Dream.org later restructured its leadership.

During his time with Dream Corps, several of Jones’ annual salaries were disclosed to the public through IRS Form 990 filings. This includes:

• 2015 – $192,145
• 2016 – $209,469
• 2107 – $145,541
• 2018 – $194,087

Magic Labs Media LLC

In 2015, Jones co-founded Magic Labs Media LLC, a production company responsible for the Webby Award-winning digital series The Messy Truth and the Emmy Award-winning The Messy Truth VR Experience. The company produces content that combines race, culture, social justice, and politics.

Rapport

Van Jones co-founded Rapport in 2020 alongside tech entrepreneur Tadzio Smith. The technology company was established to address the growing challenges of workplace disconnection and division, which worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to enhance human connection in the workplace through AI.

Obsidian Investment Partners

In 2021, Jones became a founding partner at Obsidian Investment Partners, which provided money and support to businesses and organizations that tackle climate change and social justice issues. One example is SPAN.IO, a company that helps people manage their home energy. Obsidian helped raise $90 million to support the company’s next growth stage.

Divorce Settlement

Jones and his wife, Jana Carter, married in 2005 and separated in 2018, though they continue co-parenting their two sons, Mattai and Cabral. Carter, the niece of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, filed for divorce and requested spousal support. While the exact financial terms of Jones’ divorce were never disclosed, alimony is often based on a percentage of the higher earner’s income in California.

Jones may have earned several hundred thousand dollars annually through CNN and public appearances, so that financial support could have ranged from $5,000 to $15,000. Child support for two children might have added another $3,000 to $7,000 monthly, depending on custody arrangements. These figures are purely speculative as no court filings or public statements confirm what Jones paid. Both parties kept the matter private, and no legal disputes were reported following the divorce.

Philanthropy

Jones has long believed that lasting change starts at the community level, and much of his work has focused on giving people a second chance. The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights was started in 1996 by Jones and Diana Frappier in Oakland, California. It’s named after civil rights leader Ella Baker and works to make the justice system fairer. Instead of spending money on prisons, the center pushes for more support for communities, like education and jobs, to help prevent crime in the first place.

Co-founded by Jones in 2015, #cut50 was a project under Dream.org that worked to cut the U.S. prison population in half. In 2018, the group helped push through a significant new law called the First Step Act. This law changed federal sentencing rules, reduced some prison terms, and aimed to give more people a chance at early release. It was supported by both Republicans and Democrats and marked a rare moment of agreement on criminal justice reform.

Jones also launched the #YesWeCode initiative (now known as Dream Tech) in 2015 to provide coding education to low-income and underrepresented youth. He described it as a way to close the opportunity gap and the digital divide, helping young people build a better future through technology. Jones’ philanthropic initiatives help create lasting change by tackling injustice at its roots and opening doors for the next generation.

Introduction

Ree Drummond is an American author, blogger, food writer, and television personality with an estimated net worth of $50 Million. 

Drummond has experienced widespread fame and recognition from her blog, The Pioneer Woman, and subsequent food-related TV shows. However, the bulk of her fortune is connected to her husband, Ladd Drummond, whose family is among the largest private landowners in America.

This profile outlines our research into Ree Drummond’s net worth, income sources, and other relevant aspects of her finances.

The Pioneer Woman

In 2006, Ree Drummond launched her own personal blog, The Pioneer Woman. At the time, blogs weren’t anywhere near as popular as they are today. The internet primarily consisted of e-commerce, forums, and established newspapers, not small blogs. Her website focused on aspects of her life, including cooking, ranch life, and homeschooling her children.

Three years later, Time Magazine named The Pioneer Woman one of the world’s 25 best blogs, generating 13 million monthly pageviews. By 2011, that figure had nearly doubled to 23.3 million. While Drummond’s earnings from the blog have never been disclosed, estimates suggest that she could be earning upwards of $1 million per year. This income is solely derived from advertising revenue. She doesn’t directly sell any of her products, such as cookbooks, through the website.

Drummond Land & Cattle Co.

A significant portion of Ree Drummond’s fortune is attributed to her husband, Ladd Drummond. Ladd’s ancestor, Frederick Drummond, emigrated from Scotland to the United States in the 1860s and founded the Hominy Trading Company in 1903, which operated as a general store in Osage County. He also began buying up substantial land in Oklahoma.

When Frederick died in 1913, his three sons, R.C., Frederick, and Jack, inherited a reported 1,200 acres of land. R.C. and Jack founded Drummond Cattle Co., whilst Frederick Jr. took over control of the Hominy Trading Company.

The company has remained family-owned, and Ladd and his brother Tim eventually took over. By 2017, the Drummond family had become the 23rd-largest landowners in the United States of America, owning 433,000 acres.

Income Sources

Drummond Land & Cattle Co.’s land remains largely undeveloped, consisting of open pasture grassland, woodland, roads, and various barns/equipment buildings. However, aside from the main cattle ranch, it earns considerable income from government contracts and subsidies.

Government Contracts

Drummond Land & Cattle Co. holds several government contracts with the Bureau of Land Management National Office to provide pasture for wild horses and donkeys. According to the official data, they’ve received $39.4 million in federal funding since 2003, with the ten most lucrative years being:

1. 2015 – $3.7 million
2. 2021 – $3.7 million
3. 2009 – $3.5 million
4. 2010 – $2.6 million
5. 2018 – $2.1 million
6. 2014 – $2.1 million
7. 2005 – $2 million
8. 2019 – $1.9 million
9. 2020 – $1.9 million
10. 2007 – $1.9 million

Agricultural Subsidies

Additionally, the ranch earns an income from agricultural commodity and disaster subsidies through the USDA farm program, though the total subsidies pale in comparison to its federal contracts. According to the EWG.org website, Drummond Land & Cattle Co. has received a total of $1.89 million in subsidies since 1995.

Introduction

Danielle Steel is an American professional writer with an estimated net worth of $600 Million. 

Quick Facts

• Earned an estimated $201 million between 2010 and 2018
• Peak annual income of $35 million in 2011
• A former bookkeeper allegedly stole $2.7 million from her in 2009
• 67th richest self-made woman in America

Net Worth History

Although not a billionaire, Forbes has been tracking Danielle Steel’s net worth for over a decade because she is a member of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. In 2016, she had an estimated net worth of $310 million, and for the next several years, this figure grew by $10-20 million annually. In 2024, her net worth jumped from $420 million to $500 million, and at the time of writing, she’s ranked as the 67th richest self-made woman in America, with an estimated net worth of $600 Million.

Earnings History

According to reports, between 2010 and 2018, Danielle Steel earned approximately $201 million from all endeavors. She often earned substantial annual sums from book advances, film and TV rights, and royalties. This included estimated earnings of $32 million in 2010 and $35 million in 2011, which were her highest-earning years of the decade. During the 2010s, Steel’s earnings gradually declined, dropping to between $22 million and $26 million in the mid-2010s and to $12 million by 2018. 

Legal Issues & Lawsuits

In 1993, Steel filed a lawsuit against author Lorenzo Bene, who was going to disclose that her son had been adopted by her husband at the time, John Traina. California law states that adoption records must remain sealed to protect adoptive families and can only be opened under very special circumstances. Generally, the records can be disclosed for medical purposes or with the consent of the adopted child once they reach adulthood. Steel believed that if her son’s adoption went public, it would violate her family’s privacy.

Despite her arguments, the state supreme court ruled in favor of opening the adoption record, which was highly unusual given that her son was still a minor at the time. Controversially, the court decided that, because of Steel’s public profile, privacy standards didn’t apply to her and therefore agreed that the records could be opened.

Theft By Former Assistant

In 2009, Steel was the victim of theft after her bookkeeper stole approximately $2.7 million from her. Kirsty Watts had worked for Steel for 15 years when, in November 2008, Steel discovered irregularities in the way Watts had handled credit cards and subsequently terminated her employment. An investigation later revealed that Watts had stolen the money by writing herself cheques and paying herself bonuses. She also used Steel’s credit card reward points to buy flights and gift cards for her family.

Watts was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing over several years and agreed to surrender her assets to help repay the money. So far, she has returned the majority of what she stole, mainly through the sale of her home, its contents, and her family’s vehicles.

Real Estate

Danielle Steel and her husband, Thomas Perkins, own the Spreckles Estate in San Francisco, California. The property has a significant history. It was initially split into four units before Steel acquired it and began her restoration efforts. She also reportedly purchased approximately 25 parking permits for guests in the adjoining streets.

While we don’t know precisely how much Steel paid for the home, recent estimations place its current valuation at roughly $19.2 million. Public records show that the annual property taxes range from $130,000 to $140,000. Over at least twenty-five years of ownership, the couple is estimated to have spent at least $2.5 million on property taxes alone.