Klete Keller: How Much Is The Olympic Medalist Worth?
Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller — an American swimmer who was part of Michael Phelps' team in the 4x200-meter free relay at both the 2004 Athens and the 2008 Beijing summer games, as per People — was one of the rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. According to The New York Times, the 6'6" Keller — who was clad in an USA Olympic jacket — was pointed out by teammates and coaches after spying him in video footage of the uproar.
"A man that appears to be Keller," who is reportedly a staunch Trump supporter (via SwimSwam), "can be seen [in the video] with his back to police and his arms at his side as the officers move the crowd towards the exits," the site reported. Another clip showed Keller "standing calmly in the Rotunda holding a bottle of water." Though the athlete did not appear to be involved in the violence — based solely on this video footage — the riots left five people dead, including a U.S. Capitol police officer (as per the NYT).
Now that Keller is making headlines for his involvement in the insurrection, people across the world are doing a deep dive into his personal life.
Olympian Klete Keller is reportedly a millionaire
After retiring from swimming after the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, as per NBC Sports, Klete Keller began a career as a realtor. His Realtor.com profile acknowledges his Olympic past — his motto is "Gold Medal Service" — and states that his "price range" is between $300K – $405K. The 5x medalist was also employed by real estate agency Hoff & Leigh, which is based in Colorado, though the company confirmed to SwimSwam that he has since resigned. (Hoff & Leigh also condemned "actions that violate the rule of law."
As for Keller's actual net worth, Stars Offline claims that he earned $1 million from his real estate ventures, while Gossip Gist notes that it could be between $1 million – $5 million.
It also makes sense that Keller earned money from his time as a champion Olympic swimmer. Forbes reports that gold medalists earn $25,000 per medal, which means he racked up $50,000 for his two golds — as well as tens of thousands more for his other three medals. Furthermore, he most likely made money off sponsorships as well — which can earn athletes a pretty penny, according to Money Under 30.