Pat Robertson was one of the most influential — and controversial — figures in American religious broadcasting. Over more than six decades, he built a media empire stretching from a single struggling TV station in Virginia to a global network, a university, and a political movement that shaped the modern Republican Party.
When he passed away on June 8, 2023, at the age of 93, he left behind an estimated net worth of $100 million — a fortune built not through inheritance, but through relentless entrepreneurship, media savvy, and an unwavering belief that faith and commerce could work hand in hand.
This guide covers everything you need to know: his biography, personal details, sources of wealth, family life, and a year-by-year breakdown of his estimated net worth.
Pat Robertson — Quick Biography Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Marion Gordon Robertson |
| Known As | Pat Robertson |
| Date of Birth | March 22, 1930 |
| Place of Birth | Lexington, Virginia, USA |
| Date of Death | June 8, 2023 |
| Age at Death | 93 years old |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christianity (Charismatic / Protestant) |
| Education | Washington & Lee University (BA History), Yale Law School (JD), New York Theological Seminary (MDiv) |
| Profession | Televangelist, Media Mogul, Author, Political Commentator |
| Known For | Founding CBN, Hosting The 700 Club, Founding Regent University |
| Net Worth at Death | $100 million (estimated) |
| Residence | Virginia Beach, Virginia |
Pat Robertson Personal & Family Details Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Wife | Adelia “Dede” Elmer Robertson |
| Wife’s Profession | Fashion Model, Nursing Graduate (Yale University) |
| Marriage Year | 1954 |
| Wife’s Death | 2022 (one year before Pat’s passing) |
| Number of Children | 4 |
| Children’s Names | Timothy Bryan Robertson, Elizabeth Faith Robertson, Gordon Perry Robertson, Ann Willis Robertson |
| Grandchildren | Multiple (gathered at his bedside before his death) |
| Father | Absalom Willis Robertson (U.S. Senator from Virginia) |
| Mother | Gladys Churchill Robertson (Musician) |
| Sibling | Willis Jr. Robertson (older brother, gave him the nickname “Pat”) |
| Political Affiliation | Republican |
Who Was Pat Robertson? A Human Look at His Life
To understand Pat Robertson’s net worth, you have to understand who he was before the money — and the story is a genuinely remarkable one.
He was born into political privilege. His father was a United States Senator. He attended elite schools, graduated with honours from Washington & Lee University, served in the Korean War, and went on to earn a law degree from Yale. By any measure, he was destined for a conventional life of law or politics.
Then, in the mid-1950s, everything changed. Robertson met Dutch missionary Cornelius Vanderbreggen, who impressed Robertson both with his lifestyle and his message. Vanderbreggen quoted Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart” — which Robertson considered the “guiding principle” of his life.
He abandoned a legal career. He enrolled in seminary. And in 1960, with virtually no money and no broadcasting experience, he bought the licence of a defunct UHF television station in Portsmouth, Virginia.
When CBN’s inaugural broadcast was scheduled, Robertson still owed money to get it up and running. “I didn’t have the money on the day we were supposed to go on the air,” Robertson said. He then opened the Bible and started to praise God — and a friend stepped in with the $5,000 he needed.
That was the beginning of a fortune that would eventually reach nine figures.
How Pat Robertson Built His $100 Million Net Worth
1. The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN)
Robertson founded the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960. The company began broadcasting on WYAH-TV in Virginia in 1961. In 1966, CBN launched its flagship television program, The 700 Club, a news magazine show featuring music, guests, testimonies, and Christian ministry. Robertson hosted the program from 1966 until 1987, and then from 1988 to 2021.
CBN grew from a single struggling station into one of the largest religious broadcasting networks in the world — and it became the engine of Robertson’s financial success.
2. The Family Channel Sale — The Biggest Deal
This is where the real money came from. In 1977, CBN launched a religious cable network that became the first direct-to-cable, satellite-delivered television channel in the United States. It eventually became the Family Channel, and was so lucrative that it couldn’t be kept under a tax-exempt charity any longer. Robertson spun off the channel into a separate commercial entity, which was acquired by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation in 1997.
Robertson founded International Family Entertainment Inc., which produced and distributed family programming worldwide. In 1997, the company was sold to Fox Kids Worldwide, Inc. for $1.9 billion.
That single transaction — turning a religious cable channel into a $1.9 billion sale — is the transaction that placed Robertson firmly in the financial elite.
3. Regent University
Robertson founded Christian Broadcasting Network University in 1977; it was renamed Regent University in 1990. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the school offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study.
The university became one of the most prominent Christian universities in the United States and a consistent source of institutional prestige and associated revenue.
4. Books, Speaking, and Media Holdings
Robertson is also the author of numerous books, including The New World Order, The End of the Age, and Miracles Can Be Yours Today. He had media holdings around the world.
His 1991 book The New World Order became a New York Times bestseller, adding significant royalty income and speaking-circuit prominence to his financial profile.
5. Operation Blessing and Other Ventures
In 1978, he founded Operation Blessing, a non-profit humanitarian organisation established to help disadvantaged people around the world. Later, in 1987, Robertson founded the Christian Coalition of America.
Pat Robertson Net Worth Year-by-Year Comparison (2022–2026)
This table reflects estimated net worth figures based on available public reporting. Because Robertson passed away in June 2023, the figures from 2024 onward represent the estimated value of his estate and legacy assets, not a living individual’s active wealth.
| Year | Estimated Net Worth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ~$100 million | Peak net worth; wife Dede passes away this year |
| 2023 | ~$100 million | Pat Robertson passes away June 8, 2023, aged 93 |
| 2024 | ~$100 million (estate) | Estate maintained by family; CBN and Regent University continue operating |
| 2025 | ~$100 million (estate) | No major reported changes to estate value |
| 2026 | ~$100 million (estate) | Legacy institutions remain active under family leadership |
Note: The $100 million figure is the widely reported estimate from Celebrity Net Worth and multiple major publications at the time of his death. No official estate valuation has been made public by the Robertson family. Figures from 2024 onward are estimations based on the continuing value of the institutions and assets he founded.
Pat Robertson’s Wealth Sources — Breakdown Table
| Source | Description | Estimated Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Family Channel Sale | Sale of IFE/Family Channel to Fox Kids Worldwide (1997) | Primary source — deal valued at $1.9 billion |
| CBN / The 700 Club | Donations, licensing, broadcast revenue from global network | Significant ongoing income |
| Regent University | Founded 1977; one of the top Christian universities in the US | Institutional prestige and associated revenues |
| Book Royalties | Multiple bestselling books including The New World Order | Several million dollars over career |
| Media Holdings | International broadcasting interests and licensing | Ongoing revenue streams |
| Political Consulting | Christian Coalition influence; Reagan-era advisory roles | Indirect financial network value |
| Real Estate | 11,000 sq ft mansion in Bath County, Virginia; Virginia Beach residence | Significant asset value |
| Horse Racing | Thoroughbred horses under the name Tega Farm | Asset and hobby |
The 700 Club — Robertson’s Most Famous Platform
The 700 Club was not just a television programme. It was the vehicle through which Robertson built his audience, his donor base, his political influence, and his personal brand over more than five decades.
The name came from an early fundraising drive in which Robertson asked 700 viewers to donate $10 per month to keep CBN on the air. The campaign worked — and the name stuck.
Robertson served as a long-time host of The 700 Club, which premiered in 1966. He stepped down as full-time host on October 1, 2021, and was replaced by his son, Gordon Robertson.
For over 50 years, the show reached millions of viewers in the United States and around the world — and those viewers donated hundreds of millions of dollars to CBN over the programme’s lifetime.
Pat Robertson’s Political Life
Robertson was never just a broadcaster. He was a political force.
Robertson became heavily involved in politics in the 1980s. Early in the decade, he served on Ronald Reagan’s Victims of Crime Task Force, and in Virginia served on the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. In 1988, Robertson ran for the Republican presidential nomination, relinquishing his ministerial credentials to do so. Ultimately, he lost his bid to George H. W. Bush.
Although he did not secure the nomination, his campaign mobilised evangelical Christians, leading to the establishment of the Christian Coalition in 1989, which played a significant role in American conservative politics.
His political legacy is arguably as significant as his media legacy — and it shaped the relationship between evangelical Christianity and the Republican Party for decades.
Pat Robertson’s Wife — Dede Robertson
One of the most important and least-discussed aspects of Pat Robertson’s life is his marriage to Adelia “Dede” Elmer, which lasted 68 years.
In 1954, Robertson married Adelia “Dede” Elmer, a fashion model and beauty queen in the Miss Ohio State contest, who was studying for her master’s degree in nursing at Yale University. They remained married until her death in 2022.
They met at Yale — he was studying law, she was studying nursing. They married that same year. Together they had four children: Timothy, Elizabeth, Gordon, and Ann.
Dede Robertson passed away in 2022, just one year before Pat. He died surrounded by his children and grandchildren, who had all gathered to receive what Gordon Robertson described as his father’s final blessings.
The 68-year marriage was, by any measure, one of the defining features of Robertson’s personal life — and Dede’s death in the final year of his life was widely noted as a profound loss for him.
Pat Robertson’s Death
Religious broadcaster and political commentator Pat Robertson passed away on June 8, 2023, at 93. The Christian Broadcasting Network disclosed the news but did not state the cause of death.
Robertson’s son Gordon, who succeeded him in 2007 as the chief executive of CBN, announced his father’s passing on The 700 Club. “My father, Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Operation Blessing, Regent University, American Center for Law and Justice, he passed away this morning at 4:49 a.m.,” he said.
Gordon added that his father had wanted to give his children his final blessings and tell them how much he loved them. It was, by all accounts, a peaceful death at home, surrounded by family.
Pat Robertson’s Legacy
Love him or question him, Pat Robertson reshaped American religious life and conservative politics in ways that are still being felt today.
- He proved that Christian media could be commercially viable at scale.
- He demonstrated that evangelical Christians were a political constituency that could be organised and mobilised.
- He built institutions — a university, a law centre, a humanitarian organisation — that outlived him and continue to operate today.
- He hosted one of the longest-running television programmes in American broadcast history.
Author Roberts Liardon described him as “a pioneer of Christian television” and “a voice for right and a voice against wrong for their nation.”
His legacy is complex. But his impact on American culture, politics, and religion is undeniable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pat Robertson’s Net Worth
What was Pat Robertson’s net worth when he died?
CelebrityNetWorth reported his net worth as $100 million at the time of his death. This figure was widely reported across major news outlets following his passing on June 8, 2023. The wealth was accumulated over more than six decades through media, broadcasting, real estate, book royalties, and the landmark 1997 sale of the Family Channel to Fox Kids Worldwide for approximately $1.9 billion.
How did Pat Robertson make his money?
Pat Robertson’s fortune came from several sources across his career. The single largest financial event was the sale of International Family Entertainment Inc. — the company behind the Family Channel — to Fox Kids Worldwide in 1997 in a deal valued at approximately $1.9 billion. He also earned income through CBN’s global broadcasting operations, book royalties from multiple bestsellers, Regent University’s growth, speaking engagements, and extensive media holdings around the world.
Who was Pat Robertson’s wife?
Robertson married Adelia “Dede” Elmer in 1954. She was a fashion model and beauty queen studying for her master’s degree in nursing at Yale University when they met. They were married for 68 years. Dede Robertson passed away in 2022, one year before Pat’s own death in June 2023. They had four children together: Timothy, Elizabeth, Gordon, and Ann.
How old was Pat Robertson when he died?
Pat Robertson passed away on June 8, 2023, at the age of 93. He was born on March 22, 1930, in Lexington, Virginia. Despite two serious health incidents in his final years — a horseback riding fall in 2017 and a stroke in 2018 — he lived to 93 and was active in ministry for most of that time.
What did Pat Robertson found?
Pat Robertson founded several major institutions across his career. These include the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in 1960, The 700 Club television programme in 1966, Regent University (originally CBN University) in 1977, Operation Blessing International in 1978, International Family Entertainment Inc. in 1990, the Christian Coalition of America in 1989, and the American Center for Law and Justice. Each of these organisations continues to operate today under the leadership of his family and associates.
What happened to Pat Robertson’s money after his death?
Pat Robertson’s estate passed to his family, including his four children: Timothy, Elizabeth, Gordon, and Ann. Gordon Robertson had already succeeded his father as CEO of CBN in 2007, meaning the media empire’s leadership was already in family hands well before Pat’s death. No official estate valuation has been publicly released, but the $100 million estimated net worth reflects the value of assets, investments, and institutional holdings at the time of his passing.
What was Pat Robertson’s cause of death?
The Christian Broadcasting Network disclosed the news of his passing but did not state the cause of death. Robertson had experienced significant health issues in his final years, including a horseback riding injury in 2017 and an embolic stroke in February 2018. He was 93 at the time of his death and died at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with family members present.
Did Pat Robertson have controversies?
Yes — and they were significant. Robertson faced widespread criticism throughout his career for controversial statements about natural disasters, the LGBTQ+ community, women’s rights, and other religions. He has been heavily denounced for his belief in the healing power of God, including his belief that praying helps deflect hurricanes. Robertson is also notorious for making disparaging and racist statements about Hindus and Muslims; for opposing LGBTQ+ and women’s rights; and for blaming natural disasters and mass shootings on what he described as societal immorality. These controversies were a consistent part of his public profile throughout his decades-long career.
Conclusion
Pat Robertson’s net worth of $100 million is the financial summary of one of the most remarkable careers in American religious and media history. From a borrowed $5,000 to fund a struggling TV station’s first broadcast, to a $1.9 billion cable network sale four decades later, his financial story tracks a man who believed deeply that faith and enterprise belonged together.
He was a husband of 68 years, a father of four, a Yale-educated lawyer who chose the pulpit over the courtroom, a presidential candidate, a media pioneer, and by the time of his death — one of the wealthiest televangelists in American history.
Whether you agreed with his views or found them deeply troubling, Pat Robertson shaped American religious broadcasting more than any other single figure of his generation. The institutions he built — CBN, Regent University, Operation Blessing, the American Center for Law and Justice — continue to operate today, which is perhaps the most accurate measure of a legacy that a net worth figure alone cannot capture.
He was 93. He died at home. His family was with him. And by his own account, he had spent his life trusting Proverbs 3:5 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” — as his guiding principle.
For better or worse, he did exactly that.
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