POLITICAL activist and businessman, Ed Buck, made a name for himself by taking on a variety of philanthropic causes.
Between criminal convictions, prison sentences, and political endeavors, Ed Buck garners multiple headlines.
Who is Ed Buck?
Born on August 24, 1954, Buck is a businessman, political activist, Democratic political fundraiser, former model, and former actor.
He is known for giving large amounts of money to Democratic causes and candidates.
Buck donated to Democratic campaigns run by Hillary Clinton, Ted Lieu, and Pete Aguilar, among other candidates.
In 1989, he was the Grand Marshal at the International Gay Rodeo and is also known for his 1986 campaign, Mecham Watchdog Committee.
According to LA Magazine, the committee was made to help recall Evan Mecham, who was known for his racist and homophobic actions, as Arizona governor.
Buck helped organize staged protests as well as organize letter-writing and signature efforts to help promote the recall of Mecham and in May 1988, his group triggered a recall election.
Buck has been openly gay since he was 16-years-old and was known for advocating for LGBT rights in politics over the years.
Following his move to California, he entered a campaign for city council - but was not successful.
What is Ed Buck's net worth?
An estimation of Buck's net worth is not reported on by many credible outlets.
Some reports state that his net worth is somewhere between $3 million to $5 million while others estimate it to be around $15 million.
According to Wealthy Persons, Buck's estimated net worth is $15million.
Buck's riches come from his career as a model and also from working for Rapid Information Services.
After RPI went bankrupt, he bought the company for $250k and rebranded it as Gopher Courier before selling it years later for $500k.
What was Ed Buck charged with?
On September 17, 2019, Buck was charged with three counts of battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine, and maintaining a drug house.
In April 2020, he was then charged with four more counts.
The charges included enticing another man to travel with the intent of engaging in prostitution and two counts of distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.
His nine charges are in relation to the July 2017 death of Gemmel Moore and the January 2019 death of Timothy Dean.
On July 27, 2021, Buck was found guilty of multiple crimes connected to the deaths of Gemmel and Timothy in West Hollywood, California.
Buck had maintained his defense that the deaths stemmed from underlying medical conditions and not the narcotics he had supplied the men but was found guilty on all nine counts anyway.
On April 14, 2022, the businessman was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the convictions.
During the trial, Assistant US Attorney Chelsea Norell told jurors: "The party is the drugs, the play is the sex. If they didn’t party, he wasn’t interested.”
Before he was sentenced, Buck spoke briefly to Judge Christina A. Snyder, and he apologized "for my part in the tragic deaths of Gemmel and Timothy.''
"These are men I cared for and loved. I did not cause their deaths," Buck said.
He asked Snyder to "look at the good in my life,'' saying he is not the "meth-fueled ax killer'' the government portrayed him to be.
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