What Is Thomas Ravenel's Net Worth?
Thomas Ravenel is a politician and reality television star who has a net worth of $6 million. Thomas Ravenel is the former State Treasurer of South Carolina, and he starred on the Bravo reality series "Southern Charm" from 2014 to 2018.
Before he ran for office, Thomas founded the commercial real estate company the Ravenel Development Corporation. In 2004, he ran for the US Senate, finishing in third place in the Republican primary. Upon losing his first race, he went on to run for State Treasurer in 2006 and won, but his political career was plagued with scandal. In June 2007, Ravenel was indicted on federal cocaine distribution charges, and he was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison in March 2008. His father, the late Arthur Ravenel, Jr., was a former South Carolina Congressman, and a bridge in Charleston was named after him. Thomas reportedly earned a salary of $25,000 per episode of "Southern Charm," and he appeared in 67 episodes of the show.
Early Life
Thomas Ravenel was born Thomas Jonathan Jackson Ravenel on August 11, 1962, in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the son of Louise and Arthur Ravenel Jr., who both passed away in 2023. Arthur served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Louise became an advocate for the rights of disabled individuals after her son William was born with Down syndrome in 1959. Thomas grew up with five older siblings, and he served as captain of the wrestling and football teams in high school. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from The Citadel in 1985, then he graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1991 with an M.B.A. focused on real estate and finance.
(Photo by Aaron Davidson/Getty Images)
Career
Thomas founded Ravenel Development Corporation in 1992. The company's website states that Thomas "has completed 65 successful retail projects in ten states." In 2004, he ran for U.S. Senate after Fritz Hollings retired, and he finished in third place in the Republican primary. He later endorsed eventual winner Jim DeMint. The Federal Election Commission fined Ravenel more than $19,000 for improper filing of required election forms. In 2006, he ran for South Carolina Treasurer and defeated Democrat Grady Patterson, who had served nine terms in the role. In 2014, Thomas ran for U.S. Senate again, and he came in third with less than 4% of the vote. That year he also began starring on Bravo's "Southern Charm," which gives viewers "a real-life look at how modern-day Southern aristocracy lives." Ravenel was a cast member during the first five seasons, and he appeared in one episode during season seven.
Drug Charges
In June 2007, US Attorney Reginald Lloyd indicted Ravenel on federal cocaine distribution charges, alleging that Thomas bought under 500 grams of cocaine in Charleston through an intermediary in 2005. Ravenel was suspended of his state treasurer duties after Governor Mark Sanford found out about the charges, and Thomas sought treatment at a rehabilitation facility. Ravenel resigned from his volunteer position as SC state chairman of Rudolph Giuliani's presidential campaign, and in June 2007, he resigned from his job as Treasurer. After completing a rehabilitation program in Arizona, Thomas pled guilty to "conspiring to buy and distribute less than 100 grams of cocaine." In March 2008, a judge sentenced him to 10 months in federal prison.
Personal Life
Thomas was married to Mary Ryan Ravenel from 1995 to 1998. He has two children with his ex-girlfriend/"Southern Charm" co-star Kathryn Calhoun Dennis and one child with his ex-girlfriend Heather Mascoe. In May 2023, he was awarded sole custody of his children with Dennis due to Kathryn's "drug use, negligent parenting and a series of reckless actions that placed her minor children in danger."
In April 2018, real estate agent Ashley Perkins accused Ravenel of sexually battering her mother, Debbie Holloway Perkins, after meeting on Tinder in late 2015. Thomas' attorney denied the allegations, but Ravenel reportedly agreed to a $200,000 settlement with Perkins (which came with a non-disclosure agreement). In May 2018, Dawn Ledwell, who formerly worked as the nanny of Thomas' children, accused Ravenel of sexual battery as well. Ledwell alleged that Ravenel had assaulted her in early 2015, stating, "I went upstairs to get my jacket which had the key to my vehicle in the pocket. I was corralled into the master bedroom, and he shut the door behind me. I turned around, and he had his pants dropped, not wearing underwear. He was blocking the door. I was mortified, embarrassed, and scared." Ashley Perkins said in 2018 that Ledwell contacted her before going to the police but that she later began to have doubts about Dawn's accusations since they differed from what Ledwell had privately told her. In February 2019, Ledwell amended her original complaint, and the mentions of sexual contact were removed. In September 2019, Thomas pled guilty to third-degree assault and battery in Dawn's case and was ordered to pay a $500 fine. He settled a civil suit with her in which he agreed to donate $80,000 in her name to a charitable organization that helps survivors of sexual assault.
Real Estate
In 2020, Ravenel paid $1.8 million for a 10,552 square foot historic mansion in Aiken, South Carolina. Known as The Balcony, the estate sits on 5.85 acres of land, and the property includes a 1,134 square foot guesthouse and stables. Thomas told the "Aiken Standard," "I've got an interior designer involved, and I want to do a lot of different things to it. My construction manager hired a general contractor who is from Aiken. We're looking forward to really transforming the home into a wonderful showplace. It's been kept in great shape by the previous owners, but I just want to put my own individual stamp on it, and that will take a while. I probably won't move in there for at least 120 days." In June 2019, Ravenel put his Brookland Plantation home on Edisto Island, SC, on the market for $3.95 million. The 4,284 square foot home features four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, and the 60-acre property includes a polo field, horse barn, and two-bedroom apartment. The home sold for $3.4 million in March 2021.
