What Is R.J. Molinere's Net Worth?
R.J. Molinere is an American alligator hunter who has a net worth of $500 thousand. R.J. Molinere is the star of the History Channel's "Swamp People." The show takes place in Louisiana and follows people, like Molinere, who live in the swamp lands and hunt alligators.
Early Life
R.J. Molinere was born on September 21, 1961, in Louisiana. Not much is known about his early life other than the fact that he grew up around the swamps of Louisiana and has been hunting alligators from a young age.
Career
Molinere is an alligator hunter who has been working in the profession for around 40 years. In Louisiana, hunters are able to hunt alligators only during a specific hunting season lasting 30 days. This has been a tradition in the region for around 300 years. During the 30-day hunting period, the hunters attempt to catch as many alligators as possible, as it is how they earn their living for the rest of the year. Hunters are each issued a certain number of tags that must be attached to each alligator that they kill. Once they use all their tags, their season is over, and they may no longer make any further kills. It is thus most profitable for hunters to use their tags as quickly as possible in order to ensure they kill their allotted number of alligators before the season is over, as the hunting becomes more challenging as the days go on. Because of this, alligator hunting can be competitive.
Because he was already quite successful as an alligator hunter, Molinere was approached by the History Channel to star in their show "Swamp People." The show began in August 2010, and R.J. first appeared in the show's second season. He appeared in 98 episodes of the show from seasons two through ten. The show's second season was met with great success and record-breaking viewers for the History Channel. Molinere, in particular, has been a fan favorite of the show, along with his family. They are sometimes featured onscreen with him.
In addition to alligator hunting, R.J. is a champion arm wrestler. He can be seen in the documentary "Pulling John." The film follows arm wrestler John Brzenk as he travels around the world seeking people to arm wrestle. Molinere is featured in the documentary as the two compete against each other. R.J. has won eleven Louisiana state championships in the sport, as well as two GNC Championship titles and four Arm Wrestling World Titles.
(Photo by Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Personal Life
Molinere and his wife, Stacey, welcomed son Jay Paul Molinere on August 20, 1988. Jay appears on "Swamp People" alongside R.J. and also hunts alligators. Jay has trained as a boxer with his father since the time he was a child and has gone on to fight in mixed martial arts. Molinere also has two grandchildren, A'niyiah and Jaydin.
In 2016, Molinere and his son were involved in an altercation with a man at a convenience store. The man reported the incident to the police and claimed that R.J. and Jay had attacked him, forcing him to sustain injuries such as a swollen jaw and a black eye. The police issued a warrant for the duo's arrest, and the two later turned themselves in. They were ultimately released on bond and not charged.
Molinere enjoys physical fitness. On his social media accounts, he often shares photos and videos of himself working out at the gym.
