Clintons rake in $109m in eight years

Published on Saturday 5 April 2008 19:47

BILL and Hillary Clinton have made nearly $109m (£54m) since they left the White House eight years ago, capitalising on the world's interest in the former first couple and lucrative business ventures.

The Clintons' income for 2007 was $20.4m (10m), with almost half the former first couple's money coming from Bill Clinton's speeches.

The Clintons, who had lived in taxpayer-paid housing in the governor's mansion in Arkansas or the White House for years, ended the presidency struggling with a legal defence fund stemming from a spate of investigations. They are now wealthy enough that Hillary was able to lend her presidential campaign $5m (2.5m) earlier this year.

The Democratic candidate and her husband paid $33.8m (16.9m) in taxes from 2000-2007. They listed $10.25m (5m) in charitable contributions during that period.

The Clintons last made their returns public in 2000 when they reported an adjusted gross income of $416,039 (208,612) for 1999. Since then, the former president has embarked on a number of business ventures and has made millions from speaking engagements and books.

Beside speeches and books, his biggest single business income is from his partnership with Yucaipa Global Opportunities Fund, a Los Angeles-based investment firm founded by long-time Clinton fundraiser Ron Burkle.