Linda Tripp was a controversial figure in American politics, mainly known for her role in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. However, beyond her controversial fame, Tripp was a diligent public servant and businesswoman who amassed a modest net worth over the course of her career.
What Is Linda Tripp’s Net Worth
While there is little public information about Linda Tripp’s finances, her net worth at the time of her death in 2020 is believed to be around $1 million.
Her net worth was likely created primarily by her career at the Pentagon, where she earned a comfortable government salary for three decades.
Tripp also likely earned a noteworthy amount of money from her consulting business, which she ran after leaving government work in 2001.
It’s difficult to estimate her total assets and income throughout her life, though she was not known to have amassed significant wealth or financial success. Her fame comes directly from her role as a whistleblower in the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal.
Continue reading to learn all you need to know about Linda Tripp’s annual income, early life, personal life, career, awards, and investments.
Linda Tripp’s Net Worth Annually
Linda Tripp’s annual income was estimated at $125,000.
Her annual salary prior to 1994 is estimated at $75,000. This is based on public information regarding the average income of civil servants, public affairs specialists, and spokespersons employed by the United States Department of Defense with a career of up to 20 years – all positions held by Tripp at one point.
After leaving the Defense Department in 1994, Tripp worked in the White House Counsel’s office. Her annual income at the time was $95,000. She was soon moved to the public affairs office in the Pentagon and received a $20,000 raise.
Tripp was removed from her position in 2000, losing her stable salary. Tripp’s involvement in the Monica Lewinsky scandal and subsequent media appearances provided her with some financial gain, although it’s unclear how much she earned from these endeavors.
How Did Linda Tripp Get Rich?
Linda Tripp earned money through a variety of sources, positions, and endeavors throughout her long career.
Tripp began by working for the Defense Department and White House for over 20 years, where she held several positions including civil servant, public affairs specialist, and spokesperson.
After being let go from the Defense Department in 2000 when the Busch administration replaced Clinton, Tripp worked as a communications consultant and author. Tripp charged clients for her services, helping them with public relations and communications strategies.
She may have been widely criticized for her actions in the 90s and was portrayed negatively in the media, but she cleverly leveraged her notoriety into opportunities for paid interviews and appearances.
Tripp saw a major financial gain in 2003 when she reached a settlement with the United States Government after suing them for wrongfully releasing private employee information.
The settlement awarded Tripp $595,000, a one-time payment representing her maximum potential salary for 3 years. She was also awarded a pension and cleared to resume federal government work once again.
Linda Tripp’s Biography
Linda Rose Carotenuto was born on November 24, 1949, in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Albert Carotenuto, a high school science and math teacher, and Inge Carotenuto, a German immigrant.
Her parents divorced in 1968 after her father had an affair with another teacher. The same year as the divorce, Tripp graduated from Hanover Park High School in East Hanover, New Jersey.
She attended college at the University of Maryland, where she earned a degree in psychology. She worked as a secretary in Army Intelligence at Fort Meade in Maryland through college, where she met her first husband, Bruce Tripp. The couple had two children before divorcing in 1990.
After college, Tripp joined the Defense Department as a civil servant. She spent the majority of her career working in public affairs. Tripp’s time as a federal employee spanned three decades, including her time at the Pentagon and the White House Counsel’s office.
| Full Name/Real Name: | Linda Rose Carotenuto |
| Nick Name/Stage Name: | Linda Tripp |
| Birth Place: | Jersey CIty, New Jersey, United States |
| Birthday: | November 24, 1949 |
| Zodiac Sign: | Sagittarius |
| Age(How Old): | 70 (Died April 8, 2020) |
| Weight: | 165 lbs (75 kg) |
| Height(How Tall): | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 cm) |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Husband: | Bruce M. Tripp (ex)
Dieter Rausch (m. 2004) |
| Girlfriend: | N/A |
| Parent’s Name: |
|
| Kids/Children Name: | Allison Tripp and Ryan Tripp |
| Siblings: |
|
| College: | The University of Maryland |
| Profession: | Government Worker, Author, Consultant |
| Social Media Accounts: | N/A |
Linda Tripp’s Career and Awards
Tripp’s biggest career turning point came in 1998 when she became embroiled in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Tripp had worked with Lewinsky at the White House, where she befriended and secretly recorded phone conversations with Lewinsky where Lewinsky discussed her relationship with then-President Bill Clinton.
Tripp gave the recordings to independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who was investigating Clinton’s alleged affair with Lewinsky at the time. The recordings and Tripp’s testimony were crucial to the investigation into Clinton’s affair. The trial ultimately led to Clinton’s impeachment by the House of Representatives.
Tripp became a controversial figure after the Lewinsky Scandal, with many accusing her of using the scandal to profit off of her newfound fame and betraying Lewinsky’s trust. Tripp denied accusations, insisting that she was only trying to expose the truth and protect the United States from potential security threats.
In 2001, Tripp was let go from her job at the Pentagon and started a new career as a consultant. Despite claims that her termination was wrongful, it has been proven that she was let go as a routine turnover between Presidential administrations.
She then founded a consulting firm called Tripp Group. The consultancy specialized in providing communications and media relations services to government agencies and private companies.
Linda Tripp’s Personal Life
She was married twice, first to Bruce Tripp and then to a German architect named Dieter Rausch. She had two children, a son named Ryan and a daughter named Allison, during her first marriage.
Despite taking great efforts to keep her personal and professional life separated, personal details were released by the media during the Lewinsky scandal. It was revealed that Tripp had undergone several surgeries to lose weight, after struggling with her weight for most of her life.
These surgeries were used by critics to argue against her reliability as a witness, claiming her obsession with her appearance hurt her credibility.
She suffered from depression and anxiety and was reportedly hospitalized once for psychiatric treatment. Critics also claimed that her mental health struggles led her to record conversations with Lewinsky.
Controversies Involving Linda Tripp
Linda Tripp was no stranger to controversy. Her involvement in the Lewinsky scandal made her a household name, with some cheering her on for revealing the affair and others criticizing her betrayal of Monica Lewinsky.
After she handed over the tapes to Starr, Tripp was accused of using the scandal to further her career and turn a profit. While the figures are not publicly known, it’s no secret Linda Tripp was paid for her television appearances and interviews post-scandal.
In addition to her involvement in the Lewinsky scandal, Tripp also had an arrest record. She had been arrested in 1969 when she was 19 years old. The charges were on stealing $263 in cash along with a $600 watch. While the charges were dismissed this became an issue for her years later.
When asked if she had ever been arrested for a crime by the US Department of Defense security clearance, she answered “no.” In March 1998, before she appeared before the grand jury in the Lewinsky investigation, it was leaked that Tripp had lied on her clearance forms.
The Department of Defense then leaked other confidential information from Tripp’s personnel record to the media to stifle her testimony. This led to her lawsuit against the department years later and a subsequent payout of $595,000.
Reasons for Linda Tripp Plastic Surgery
In the 90′s, the famous White House staffer underwent a huge makeover after being criticized by the media — “She was cast as a very negative figure, in addition to coming to the table with not the best aesthetics as far as her nose and chin were concerned.”
Linda Tripp’s Book: ‘A Basket of Deplorables’
Linda Tripp’s posthumous memoir sets the record straight on Bill and Hillary.
“A Basket of Deplorables” is based on notes and a journal written by Linda Tripp and put into final form by collaborator Dennis Carstens. Death cut the effort short, so the book has a fragmentary feel to it and some of the transitions are rather abrupt. But Linda Tripp had a powerful story to tell, as only an eyewitness could.
Linda Tripp’s Investments and Endorsements
Tripp was not known for making significant investments or receiving any endorsements during her career. She focused primarily on building her consulting business and maintaining her reputation as a reliable and effective communicator after the scandal in 1998.
FAQ
Who Has Portrayed Linda Tripp On TV?
John Goodman played Linda Tripp in Saturday Night Live Skits in the 1990s. Most recently, Beanie Feldstein in Impeachment: American Crime Story.
How Old Was Linda Tripp When She Died?
Linda Tripp was 70 years old when she died of pancreatic cancer in 2020.
Is Linda Tripp a Cancer Survivor?
Tripp was treated for breast cancer in 2002 before entering remission. She sadly died after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer in 2020.
Where Did Linda Tripp Live After She Left The Pentagon?
Linda Tripp remarried in 2004 and moved to Middleburg, Virginia. They lived on a farm that Tripp called “paradise with complete autonomy and privacy.”
What Was Linda Doing At The End Of Her Life?
Linda and her husband, Dieter, ran a Christmas store called the Christmas Sleigh in Virginia. They lived a quiet life.
