Don Blankenship, an American businessman, former coal magnate, and convict, has a net worth of $40 million.
Don Blankenship was born in Stopover, Kentucky on March 14, 1950.
After graduating from Marshall University in 1972, Blankenship began working in the coal industry.
From 2000 to 2010, he was the Chairman and CEO of the Massey Energy Company.
In 2014, Blankenship was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy, making false statements, and securities fraud in relation to the deaths of 29 miners at Massey’s Upper Big Branch Mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia on April 5, 2010.
The charges could have resulted in him being imprisoned for 30 years or more.
Don Blankenship was cleared of felony charges for lying about safety procedures and a misdemeanor charge of conspiracy in December 2015.
He was given a one-year prison sentence and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. He completed the one-year term of his sentence.
Blankenship supported the Republican party financially.
The highest pay he received in the coal industry in 2009 was $17.8 million, making him the highest earner.
He made $19.7 million in 2008 and $6 million in 2007.
In 2010, it was disclosed that Blankenship had a deferred compensation package worth $27 million.
Blankenship started running for the US Senate in the same year in 2018.
Don’s Senate campaign involved the creation of a series of videos that heavily criticized Mitch McConnell and contained defiant and racist statements.