Kenneth C. Griffin
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Kenneth Cordele Griffin (born October 15, 1968) is an American
hedge fund A hedge fund is a pooled investment fund that trades in relatively liquid assets and is able to make extensive use of more complex trading, portfolio-construction, and risk management techniques in an attempt to improve performance, such as sho ...
manager, entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder,
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, co-
chief investment officer The chief investment officer (CIO) is a job title for the board level head of investments within an organization. The CIO's purpose is to understand, manage, and monitor their organization's portfolio of assets, devise strategies for growth, act as ...
, and 80% owner of Citadel LLC, a multinational
hedge fund A hedge fund is a pooled investment fund that trades in relatively liquid assets and is able to make extensive use of more complex trading, portfolio-construction, and risk management techniques in an attempt to improve performance, such as sho ...
. He also owns Citadel Securities, one of the largest
market makers A market maker or liquidity provider is a company or an individual that quotes both a buy and a sell price in a tradable asset held in inventory, hoping to make a profit on the ''bid–ask spread'', or ''turn.'' The benefit to the firm is that it ...
in the U.S. In 2022 Griffin had an estimated net worth of US$27.2 billion and was ranked 53rd on the ''Forbes'' 400 list of richest people in the United States. Griffin has contributed tens of millions of dollars to political candidates and causes, primarily those of the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...
. He has also donated to a number of charitable causes, particularly in the fields of education and the arts. He owns an art collection valued at $800 million and personal residences valued in total at over $1 billion.


Early life and education

Griffin was born in 1968 in
Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal Resort town, resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County, Florida, Volusia County near the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coastline, its population ...
, the son of a building supplies executive. Griffin's father had various jobs, and was a project manager for
General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
. Griffin's grandmother, Genevieve Huebsch Gratz, inherited an oil business, three farms, and a seed business. Griffin grew up in
Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton ( ; es, Boca Ratón, link=no, ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. The population was 97,422 in the ...
, with some time in Texas, and Wisconsin. He went to middle school in Boca Raton followed by
Boca Raton Community High School Boca Raton Community High School is a magnet high school that is part of the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It has been rated an "A" school each consecutive year by the Florida Department of Education since 2005 and ...
, where he was the president of the math club. In high school, Griffin ran a discount mail-order education software firm out of his bedroom called EDCOM. In a 1986 article in the ''
Sun-Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as surrounding Br ...
'', Griffin stated that he thought he would become a businessman or lawyer and that he believed the job market for computer programmers would significantly decrease over the coming decade. Griffin started at
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
in the fall of 1986. That year, one of his first investments was to buy
put option In finance, a put or put option is a derivative instrument in financial markets that gives the holder (i.e. the purchaser of the put option) the right to sell an asset (the ''underlying''), at a specified price (the ''strike''), by (or at) a s ...
s on
Home Shopping Network HSN, an initialism of its former name Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network owned by the Qurate Retail Group, which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands. Based in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Flor ...
, making a $5,000 profit. He also invested in
convertible arbitrage Convertible arbitrage is a market-neutral investment strategy often employed by hedge funds. It involves the simultaneous purchase of convertible securities and the short sale of the same issuer's common stock. The premise of the strategy is t ...
opportunities in
convertible bond In finance, a convertible bond or convertible note or convertible debt (or a convertible debenture if it has a maturity of greater than 10 years) is a type of bond that the holder can convert into a specified number of shares of common stock in ...
s. Despite a ban on running businesses from campus, Griffin convinced school administrators to allow him to install a
satellite dish A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive or transmit information by radio waves to or from a communication satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radi ...
on the roof of the Cabot House
dormitory A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm) is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people such as boarding school, high school, college or university s ...
to receive stock quotes. He also asked Terrence J. O’Connor, the manager of
convertible bond In finance, a convertible bond or convertible note or convertible debt (or a convertible debenture if it has a maturity of greater than 10 years) is a type of bond that the holder can convert into a specified number of shares of common stock in ...
s at Merrill Lynch in Boston, to open a brokerage account for him with $100,000 that Griffin had gotten from his grandmother, his dentist, and others. His first fund launched in 1987 with $265,000, days after his 19th birthday. The fund launched in time to profit from
short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...
positions on
Black Monday (1987) Black Monday is the name commonly given to the global, sudden, severe, and largely unexpected stock market crash on Monday, October 19, 1987. In Australia and New Zealand, the day is also referred to as ''Black Tuesday'' because of the time zo ...
. Griffin graduated in 1989 with a degree in economics.


Career

After graduating in 1989, Griffin moved to
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
to work with Frank Meyer, founder of Glenwood Capital Investments. Meyer allotted $1 million of Glenwood capital for Griffin to trade and Griffin made 70% in a year. A year later, in 1990, Griffin founded Citadel LLC, with assets under management of $4.6 million, aided by contributions from Meyer. His funds made 43% in 1991 and 40% in 1992. In the early 2000s, Griffin founded market maker Citadel Securities. In 2003, aged 34, Griffin was the youngest individual on the ''Forbes'' 400 with an estimated net worth of $650 million. From the time of his marriage in 2003 until late 2009, Griffin was the lead investor in Aragon Global Management, a
hedge fund A hedge fund is a pooled investment fund that trades in relatively liquid assets and is able to make extensive use of more complex trading, portfolio-construction, and risk management techniques in an attempt to improve performance, such as sho ...
run by his then-wife
Anne Dias-Griffin Anne Dias-Griffin (born January 1, 1970) is a French-American investor and philanthropist. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Aragon, an investment firm active in global equities, with a focus on the internet, technology, and consu ...
. The fund was also seeded with money from
Julian Robertson Julian Hart Robertson Jr. (June 25, 1932 – August 23, 2022) was an American billionaire hedge fund manager, and philanthropist. Robertson founded Tiger Management, one of the first hedge funds, in 1980. From its inception in 1980 to its 1 ...
. Ken lost 20% of his investment in the fund. In 2006, Citadel acquired the positions of Amaranth Advisors at a steep discount. During the financial crisis of 2007-2008, for 10 months, Griffin barred his investors from withdrawing money, attracting criticism. At the peak of the crisis, the firm was losing "hundreds of millions of dollars each week". It was leveraged 7:1 and the biggest funds at Citadel finished 2008 down 55%. However, they rebounded with a 62% return in 2009. From Citadel LLC, Griffin earned $900 million in 2009, $1.4 billion in 2014 $600 million in 2016, $1.4 billion in 2017, $870 million in 2018, $1.5 billion in 2019, and $1.8 billion in 2020. In 2015, at his own expense, Griffin hired
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
and
Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
to entertain his employees. In November 2020, according to
Bloomberg News Bloomberg News (originally Bloomberg Business News) is an international news agency headquartered in New York City and a division of Bloomberg L.P. Content produced by Bloomberg News is disseminated through Bloomberg Terminals, Bloomberg Televi ...
, Griffin's net worth surpassed $20 billion due to an increase the value of Citadel, of which Griffin's stake was worth $11.2 billion. Citadel Securities, a
market maker A market maker or liquidity provider is a company or an individual that quotes both a buy and a sell price in a tradable asset held in inventory, hoping to make a profit on the ''bid–ask spread'', or ''turn.'' The benefit to the firm is that it ...
, increased its profit to $2.36 billion during the first half of 2020 compared to $982 million for the same period in 2019 due to increased volatility, volume and retail trader engagement. In January 2021, Griffin attracted criticism for the role played by Citadel in the GameStop short squeeze. On January 25, it was announced that Griffin's Citadel would invest $2 billion into Melvin Capital, which had suffered losses of more than 30% on account of its short positions, particularly on GameStop. On January 28, Robinhood, an electronic trading platform favored by many traders involved in buying GameStop stock and options, abruptly announced that it would halt all purchases of GameStop securities except to cover shorts and would only allow these securities to be sold if already held (but not sold short); the price of GME stock declined steeply shortly thereafter. Because Robinhood receives a substantial portion of its revenue through a
payment for order flow Payment for order flow (PFOF) is the compensation that a stockbroker receives from a market maker in exchange for the broker routing its clients' trades to that market maker. It is a controversial practice that has been called a " kickback" by its ...
relationship with Citadel Securities LLC, 85% of which is owned by Griffin, many commentators criticized the potential for a conflict of interest when the same entity both plays the role of market-maker and also participates in the market that it makes; Griffin personally has been at the center of much discussion on this controversy. On February 18, 2021, Griffin testified before the House Financial Services Committee to address his role in the GameStop controversy; Griffin has donated money directly to four congresspeople on the committee, including Republicans
French Hill French Hill ( he, הגבעה הצרפתית, ''HaGiv'a HaTzarfatit'', ar, التلة الفرنسية, ''at-tel al-faransiya''), also Giv'at Shapira ( he, גִּבְעַת שַׁפִּירָא) is an Israeli settlement in northern East Jerusa ...
, Andy Barr,
Ann Wagner Ann Louise Wagner (née Trousdale, September 13, 1962) is an American politician and diplomat serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she was the United States ambassador to ...
, and Bill Huizenga.


Philanthropy


Education

Griffin has worked with the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...
in the promotion of charter schools in the U.S. and to fund tutoring. In 2011, he worked with
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
economics professor
John A. List John August List (born September 25, 1968) is an American economist known for establishing field experiments as a tool in empirical economic analysis. He works at the University of Chicago, where he serves as Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Se ...
to test whether investment in teachers or in parents produces better student performance outcomes. At the beginning of 2014, Griffin made a $150 million donation to the financial aid program at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, his alma mater, the largest single donation ever made to the institution at the time. In 2014, he was elected to a five-year term on the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
's board of trustees. He is also a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and the civic committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago. Griffin is the vice chairman of the
Chicago Public Education Fund The Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC) was a Chicago public school reform project from 1995 to 2001 that worked with half of Chicago's public schools and was funded by a $49.2 million, 2-to-1 matching challenge grant over five years from the Annenbe ...
. In October 2017, Griffin's charitable fund donated $1 million to the
Obama Foundation The Barack Obama Foundation is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization founded in 2014. It oversees the creation of the Barack Obama Presidential Center, runs the My Brother's Keeper Alliance (a program Barack Obama began while he was president), ...
. In November 2017, Griffin's charitable fund made a $125 million gift to support the Department of Economics of the University of Chicago, renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics. In April 2021, he donated $5 million to an initiative to provide
Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
access to students in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. Griffin donated $21.5 million to the
Field Museum of Natural History The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), also known as The Field Museum, is a natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the largest such museums in the world. The museum is popular for the size and quality of its educational ...
and its dinosaur exhibit is named the ''Griffin Dinosaur Experience''. In October 2019, Griffin's charitable fund announced a $125 million gift to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the largest gift in the museum's history. The museum will be renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. In November 2021, Griffin outbid a group of crypto investors to purchase the last privately held copy of the
United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...
at auction for $43.2 million. Griffin stated "I intend to ensure that this copy of our Constitution will be available for all Americans and visitors to view and appreciate in our museums and other public spaces", with plans to display it first at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas.


Poverty

In 2010, Griffin contributed to the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenure ...
's productions at Millennium Park. He supported the University of Chicago's Center for Urban School Improvement, a program encouraging the construction of an inner-city charter high school, and contributed to the
Lurie Children's Hospital Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, formerly Children's Memorial Hospital and commonly known as Lurie Children's, is a nationally ranked pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. The hospital has 3 ...
. In 2017, Griffin contributed $15 million to the
Robin Hood Foundation The Robin Hood Foundation is a charitable organization which attempts to alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. The organization also administers a relief fund for disasters in the New York City area. In 2010, a key supporter gave ...
. In May 2022, The University of Chicago announced a $25 million donation from Kenneth Grifin to launch an initiative design to train police managers and prevent neighbourhood violence. The funds will aid in launching two community Safety Leadership Academies. The Policing Management Academy aims to professionalise departments by educating their leaders though coaching, accountability and data-driven decision making. This donation came after Griffins $10 million donation to the Crime Lab in 2018 to implement an early intervention system to investigate citizens' complaints.


Arts

Griffin has been on the board of trustees of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago since 2000 and regularly supports its exhibitions. In July 2007, Griffin donated a $19 million addition to the
Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
that was designed by
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
and named ''Kenneth and Anne Griffin Court''. The Paul Cézanne paintings have also been loaned to the institute. Griffin has contributed to the
Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
. He serves on the board of trustees at the
Whitney Museum of American Art The Whitney Museum of American Art, known informally as "The Whitney", is an art museum in the Meatpacking District and West Village neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875–1942), ...
in New York, whose lobby bears his name: Kenneth C. Griffin Hall. In February 2015, Griffin donated $10 million to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago and used to create the Griffin Galleries of Contemporary Art. In December 2015, he donated an unrestricted $40 million to the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
in New York. In 2018, he donated $20 million to the Norton Museum of Art. In 2021 he outbid a group of crypto investors to purchase an original copy of the
US Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nation ...
for $43.2 million.


Religion

Griffin is a member of the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, where he was married. In 2011, Griffin donated $11.5 million of the $38.2 million needed to build a new chapel at the church. The modern building is called "The Gratz Center" in honor of Griffin's grandparents.


COVID-19 donations

Griffin oversaw a $2 million donation from Citadel and Citadel Securities to
Weill Cornell Medicine The Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University is Cornell University's biomedical research unit and medical school located in Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York. Weill Cornell Medicine is affiliated with NewY ...
to help to fund the development of new ways to protect people from
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
and to identify new cases of the illness. In March 2020, in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, Griffin contributed $2.5 million to support food services for children in
Chicago Public Schools Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Illinois, is the third-largest school district in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles. ...
. In May 2020, Griffin and his partners at Citadel made a £3 million donation to help develop a
COVID-19 vaccine A COVID19 vaccine is a vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID19). Prior to the COVID19 pandemic, an e ...
and to support Nightingale Hospital.


Personal life


Marriages

Griffin's first wife was Katherine Weingartt, his high school sweetheart. The couple divorced in 1996. In March 2002, Griffin met his second wife
Anne Dias-Griffin Anne Dias-Griffin (born January 1, 1970) is a French-American investor and philanthropist. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Aragon, an investment firm active in global equities, with a focus on the internet, technology, and consu ...
after being set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. She is a French-born graduate of
Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA p ...
who worked at
Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs () is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, with regional headquarters in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, H ...
, Soros Fund Management, and
Viking Global Investors Viking Global Investors is an American-based hedge fund based in Greenwich, Connecticut, which specialises in early stage and late stage ventures. History It was established in October 1999 by its CEO and risk manager, Ole Andreas Halvorsen, Br ...
prior to starting Chicago-based $55 million firm Aragon Global Management. The couple married in July 2003 and had three children. In July 2014, Griffin filed a divorce petition in
Cook County, Illinois Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...
citing "irreconcilable differences" with his second wife. The couple had entered into a prenuptial agreement which governed the split of their assets in the event of a divorce. As part of the prenuptial agreement, Dias-Griffin received $22.5 million at the beginning of their marriage and received an additional $1 million each year they were married. During the marriage, she received $37 million in cash payments and 50% ownership of their Chicago penthouse, which occupies three floors of the building. In court fillings, she claimed that she was forced to sign the prenuptial agreement. She also claimed that Ken Griffin had no right to enter the Chicago penthouse. He allegedly forbade her from entering homes in Hawaii, Miami, Colorado and New York. In later court filings, Dias-Griffin requested $1 million per month in
child support Child support (or child maintenance) is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child (or parent, caregiver, guardian) following the end of a marriage or other similar relationship. Child maintenance is paid d ...
payments, including $300,000 per month for private jet travel, $160,000 per month for vacation rentals, and $60,000 per month for office space and staff. Griffin claimed that Dias-Griffin was attempting to use child support to fund her "opulent lifestyle". During the divorce, she requested $450,000 for a 10-day vacation to St. Barts over winter break with their three children. Griffin denied her request but agreed to pay $45,000 for a winter vacation. The couple settled their divorce out of court in October 2015, just hours before a public trial over the prenuptial agreement was set to begin. As part of the divorce, Griffin paid $11.75 million to buy out his wife's interest in their Chicago penthouse. He maintains joint custody of his children with his ex-wife.


Political views

In a 2012 interview with the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'', Griffin said that the rich actually have too little influence in politics. Griffin identified as a
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
Republican. He said the belief "that a larger government is what creates prosperity, that a larger government is what creates good" is wrong. In a November 2015 interview on
CNBC CNBC (formerly Consumer News and Business Channel) is an American basic cable business news channel. It provides business news programming on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time, while broadcasting talk sho ...
, Griffin said he admires Scott Walker claiming he is an "absolute champion of free markets and a champion of smaller government". In April 2016, because Citadel owned over 1 million shares of
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
, Griffin was the target of protestors supporting the
Fight for $15 The Fight for $15 is an American political movement advocating for the minimum wage to be raised to USD$15 per hour. The federal minimum wage was last set at $7.25 per hour in 2009. The movement has involved strikes by child care, home health ...
. In May 2017, Griffin praised
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's efforts at tax and healthcare reform In 2018, it was announced that Griffin had been appointed the national finance chair for the New Republican PAC fueling, Senator Rick Scott‘s Super PAC. In November 2018, Griffin criticized
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's tweets berating Chair of the Federal Reserve
Jerome Powell Jerome Hayden "Jay" Powell (born February 4, 1953) is an American attorney and investment banker who has served as the 16th chair of the Federal Reserve since 2018. After earning a degree in politics from Princeton University in 1975 and a Jur ...
calling the tweets "completely inappropriate for the president of the United States". In January 2019, Griffin was singled out by
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...
on a
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
post as someone who can pay her Ultra-Millionaire Tax. During a March 2019 interview with
David Rubenstein David Mark Rubenstein (born August 11, 1949) is an American billionaire businessman. A former government official and lawyer, he is a co-founder and co-chairman of the private equity firm The Carlyle Group,Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...
's proposals saying "soaking the rich doesn't work". In January 2020, Griffin was absent from a signing ceremony for the phase-one trade deal with China at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
, for which he was criticized by President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
. In September 2020, Griffin wrote an
op-ed An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page", is a written prose piece, typically published by a North-American newspaper or magazine, which expresses the opinion of an author usually not affiliated with the publication's editorial board. O ...
published in the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' stating his opposition to
Governor of Illinois The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...
J. B. Pritzker's "Fair Tax" proposal that would change Illinois income tax from a flat tax to a graduated tax. In an October 2020 email to Citadel LLC's Chicago employees, Griffin criticized Pritzker's tax plan and alluded to the possibility of moving his company out of Illinois. While being interviewed by
Paul Tudor Jones Paul Tudor Jones II (born September 28, 1954) is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, conservationist and philanthropist. In 1980, he founded his hedge fund, Tudor Investment Corporation, an asset management firm headquartered in Stamford, ...
at the
Robin Hood Foundation The Robin Hood Foundation is a charitable organization which attempts to alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. The organization also administers a relief fund for disasters in the New York City area. In 2010, a key supporter gave ...
investor conference in October 2020, Griffin criticized Joe Biden's plans to raise the long-term capital gains tax rate.


Political contributions

In a 2012 interview, Griffin said that people should be able to make unlimited contributions to politicians, but that these contributions should be public. Griffin has made political donations to conservative political candidates, parties, and organizations such as
American Crossroads American Crossroads is a US Super PAC that raises funds from donors to advocate for certain candidates of the Republican Party. It has pioneered many of the new methods of fundraising opened up by the Supreme Court's ruling in ''Citizens United ...
and the Republican Governors Association. During the
2010 United States elections The 2010 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, in the middle of Democratic Party (United States), Democratic President Barack Obama's first term. Republican Party (United States), Republicans ended unified Democratic con ...
, Griffin donated $721,600 to federal candidates and political committees. Except for a $2,400 contribution to then
United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs The United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (formerly the Committee on Banking and Currency), also known as the Senate Banking Committee, has jurisdiction over matters related to banks and banking, price controls, ...
Chairman
Chris Dodd Christopher John Dodd (born May 27, 1944) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States senator from Connecticut from 1981 to 2011. Dodd is the longest-serving senator in Connecticut's history. H ...
, all of the contributions were to Republicans. In December 2015, Griffin endorsed
Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Florida Hous ...
for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination and stated that he planned to donate millions to a pro-Rubio super PAC. Before this endorsement, Griffin had donated $100,000 each to three super PACs supporting Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Scott Walker for the GOP nomination. Griffin was the biggest donor to
Rahm Emanuel Rahm Israel Emanuel (; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat who is the current United States Ambassador to Japan. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served two terms as the 55th Mayor of Chicago from 2011 ...
's campaign for second term as
Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and r ...
. After Trump won the 2016 Republican nomination, Griffin did not contribute to his campaign. In 2017, he contributed $20 million to the campaign of
Governor of Illinois The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...
Bruce Rauner Bruce Vincent Rauner (; born February 18, 1956) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 42nd governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019. Prior to his election, he was the chairman of R8 Capital Partners and chai ...
. In March 2020, Griffin contributed $1 million to the 1820 PAC created to support the re-election bid of U. S. Senator Susan Collins in Maine. In late 2020, Griffin donated another $500,000 to the 1820 PAC. In 2020, Griffin donated $20 million to the Coalition To Stop The Proposed Tax Hike Amendment, a group opposing the
Illinois Fair Tax The Illinois Fair Tax was a proposed amendment to the Illinois state constitution that would have effectively changed the state income tax system from a flat tax to a graduated income tax. The proposal, formally titled the "Allow for Graduate ...
in its 2020 referendum. Weeks later, he donated another $26.75 million to the coalition. Griffin later donated another $7 million to the group bringing his total contributions to $53.75 million. In 2020, Griffin donated $2 million to an anti-retention effort for Justice
Thomas L. Kilbride Thomas L. Kilbride (born August 5, 1953) is an American judge who served on the Supreme Court of Illinois from 2000 to 2020. Kilbride served as Chief Justice of the court from October 2010 through October 25, 2013. He was elected to the Illinois ...
, a democrat on the
Supreme Court of Illinois The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the State of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five ap ...
. Griffin supported Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the
2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia The 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia was held on November 3, 2020, and on January 5, 2021 (as a runoff), to elect the Classes of United States senators, Class II member of the United States Senate to represent the Georgia (U ...
. In October 2020, He was criticized for a $2 million contribution to a Super PAC supporting Loeffler and funded by her husband,
New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed c ...
Chairman
Jeffrey Sprecher Jeffrey Craig Sprecher (, , born February 23, 1955) is an American businessman, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange, and chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. Early life Sprecher was born in Madison, Wisconsin, the s ...
, just after one of Citadel LLC's companies needed approval from Sprecher for a merger. Griffin contributed a total of $66 million to the
2020 United States elections The 2020 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Democratic presidential nominee, former vice president Joe Biden, defeated incumbent Republican president Donald Trump in the presidential election. Despite losing seats ...
. Citadel gave $800,000 to
Janet Yellen Janet Louise Yellen (born August 13, 1946) is an American economist serving as the 78th United States secretary of the treasury since January 26, 2021. She previously served as the 15th chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018. Yellen is t ...
for speaking fees. In 2021, Griffin donated $5 million to Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida. Griffin's donations to DeSantis prompted criticism of a possible conflict of interest when DeSantis began promoting
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an American biotechnology company headquartered in Westchester County, New York. The company was founded in 1988. Originally focused on neurotrophic factors and their regenerative capabilities, giving rise to i ...
' therapeutic treatment for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
; Griffin's Citadel Securities owned $15.9 million of shares in Regeneron. A spokesperson for Citadel denied any wrongdoing, noting that the hedge fund has much larger investments in
Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
and
Moderna Moderna, Inc. ( ) is an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that focuses on RNA therapeutics, primarily mRNA vaccines. These vaccines use a copy of a molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA) to produ ...
. Later in 2021, Griffin promised to donate twice the amount to the Republican opponent of incumbent governor J. B. Pritzker that Pritzker gives to himself for the
2022 Illinois gubernatorial election The 2022 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Illinois, concurrently with the 2022 Illinois general election. Gubernatorial candidates ran on tickets with candidates for lieutenant governor. ...
. Pritzker has so far given $15 million to his campaign which now has the potential to become one of the costliest elections of the 2022 midterms. On May 5, 2022, Griffin donated $1.5 million to
Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann Murkowski ( ; born May 22, 1957) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator for Alaska, having held that seat since 2002. Murkowski is the second-most senior Republican woman in the Senate, after S ...
through Alaskans for L.I.S.A. (Leadership in a Strong Alaska). Griffin has individually supported many candidates including: * Sen.
Kelly Ayotte Kelly Ann Ayotte ( ; born June 27, 1968) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from New Hampshire from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Ayotte served as New Hampshire Attorney General from ...
(R) * Sen. Susan Collins (R) * Sen. John Cornyn (R) * Sen.
Jeff Flake Jeffry Lane Flake (born December 31, 1962) is an American politician and diplomat who is the current U.S Ambassador to Turkey. A member of the Republican Party, Flake served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 and ...
(R) * Sen.
Cory Gardner Cory Scott Gardner (born August 22, 1974) is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician who served as a United States senator from Colorado from 2015 to 2021. A Republican, he was the U.S. representative for Colorado's 4th congressional distr ...
(R) * Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) * Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R) * Sen.
Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann Murkowski ( ; born May 22, 1957) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator for Alaska, having held that seat since 2002. Murkowski is the second-most senior Republican woman in the Senate, after S ...
(R) * Sen.
Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Florida Hous ...
(R) * Sen.
Rick Scott Richard Lynn Scott ( Myers, born December 1, 1952) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 45th governor of Florida from 2011 to 2019. Scott ...
(R) * Sen. Luther Strange (R) * Sen.
Dan Sullivan Dan, Danny, or Daniel Sullivan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Daniel J. Sullivan (born 1940), American film and theater director * Daniel G. Sullivan, American screenwriter * Dan Sullivan (musician), indie rock musician * Dan Panic, Amer ...
(R) * Sen. Todd Young (R) * Rep. Andy Barr (R) * Rep. Mike Bost (R) * Rep.
Jeff Fortenberry Jeffrey Lane Fortenberry (born December 27, 1960) is a former United States congressman. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 2005 to 2022, representing as a member of the Republican Party. In October 2021, a federal ...
(R) * Rep. Virginia Foxx (R) * Rep. Mike Gallagher (R) * Rep. Mike Garcia (R) * Rep. Bill Huizenga (R) * Rep.
Young Kim Young Oak Kim (; born October 18, 1962) is an American politician and businesswoman serving as the U.S. representative for California's 39th congressional district. Her district includes northern parts of Orange County. In the 2020 United Stat ...
(R) * Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R) * Rep. Darin LaHood (R) * Rep.
Tom Reed Thomas or Tom Reed may refer to: Politicians and military * Thomas Buck Reed (1787–1829), senator from Mississippi * Thomas Reed (British Army officer) (1796–1883), British general * Thomas Brackett Reed (1839–1902), Speaker of the House of R ...
(R) * Rep. Dave Reichert (R) * Rep.
Ann Wagner Ann Louise Wagner (née Trousdale, September 13, 1962) is an American politician and diplomat serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she was the United States ambassador to ...
(R) * Rep. Bruce Westerman (R) * Esther Joy King (R) *
Kris Kobach Kris William Kobach ( ; born March 26, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician who is the Attorney General of Kansas. He previously served as the 31st Secretary of State of Kansas. A former Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, Kobach came ...
(R)


Art collection

Griffin is an active buyer of
modern art Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the tradi ...
and
contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...
from mainstream artists. His portfolio is valued at close to $800 million and includes several paintings on the list of most expensive paintings. In 1999, he purchased
Paul Cézanne Paul Cézanne ( , , ; ; 19 January 1839 – 22 October 1906) was a French artist and Post-Impressionism, Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th-century conception of artistic endeavour to a ...
's 1893 painting ''Curtain, Jug and Fruit Bowl'' for a record $60 million at the time. In October 2006, he purchased ''False Start'' by artist Jasper Johns for $80 million from
David Geffen David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American business magnate, producer and film studio executive. He co-created Asylum Records in 1971 with Elliot Roberts, Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1990, and DreamWorks SKG in 199 ...
. In 2015, he purchased Gerhard Richter's 1986 painting Abstract Picture, 599 for $46 million. In September 2015, in the largest private art deal ever, he purchased two paintings from
David Geffen David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American business magnate, producer and film studio executive. He co-created Asylum Records in 1971 with Elliot Roberts, Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1990, and DreamWorks SKG in 199 ...
for $500 million: Willem de Kooning's 1955 oil painting, '' Interchange'' for $300 million, and
Jackson Pollock Paul Jackson Pollock (; January 28, 1912August 11, 1956) was an American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. He was widely noticed for his " drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a hor ...
's 1948 painting, ''
Number 17A ''Number 17A'' is an abstract expressionist painting by Jackson Pollock. It is owned by hedge fund manager Kenneth C. Griffin, who purchased it in September 2015 from David Geffen for $200 million, a then record-breaking price, at which time it w ...
'', for $200 million. In 2017, Griffin reportedly purchased
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
's 1964 painting ''Orange Marilyn'' privately for around $200 million In June 2020, Griffin purchased ''
Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump ''Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump'' is a painting created by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1982. The artwork, which depicts a boy with a dog, is among the most expensive paintings ever purchased. It was purchased for over $100 million in 2 ...
'' (1982) by
Jean-Michel Basquiat Jean-Michel Basquiat (; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionism movement. Basquiat first achieved fame as part of the graffiti duo SAMO, alongside Al ...
for over $100 million. He loaned the painting to the
Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
to be put on public display. His collection also includes art by
Njideka Akunyili Crosby Njideka Akunyili Crosby (born 1983) is a Nigerian-born visual artist working in Los Angeles, California. Through her art Akunyili Crosby "negotiates the cultural terrain between her adopted home in America and her native Nigeria, creating collag ...
.


Personal residences

Griffin owns personal residences valued in total at around $1 billion. In 2009, Griffin purchased a full floor apartment at
820 Fifth Avenue 820 Fifth Avenue is a luxury cooperative located at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and East 63rd Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Design and apartments The 12 story limestone-clad neo-Italian Renai ...
in New York City for $40 million. In 2015, Griffin purchased two apartments at the top of the Faena House, a condominium on
Collins Avenue Collins Avenue, partly co-signed State Road A1A, is a major thoroughfare in South Florida, United States. The road runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean in Miami Beach, Florida, one block west. It also runs through the cities of Surfside and S ...
in
Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and artificial island, man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the ...
for $60 million. He sold them in late 2020 at a loss. In 2011, Griffin purchased two oceanfront homes at the
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaūpūlehu is a AAA Five Diamond Award, AAA Five Diamond rated Four Seasons Hotel, Four Seasons resort in Kaupulehu, Hawaii, Kaūpūlehu, on the Kona-Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii (island), Hawaii. ...
in
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Kailua-Kona is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It is also known as Kailua (a name it shares with Kailua, Honolulu County, Hawaii, a community located o ...
for $28 million. In 2013 and 2015, Griffin purchased homes in Aspen, Colorado for $10 million and $12.8 million respectively. In 2017, Griffin purchased a penthouse apartment atop the No. 9 Walton luxury condo tower in Chicago's Gold Coast for $58.75 million. The purchase broke the record for the most expensive sale in Chicago's history. The condo was delivered as "raw space" so that Griffin could build it out to his liking. Griffin also owns a full floor penthouse at the Waldorf Astoria private residences across the street from No. 9 Walton. Records show he purchased the penthouse for $6.884 million in 2010. In 2019, Griffin purchased 3 Carlton Gardens, a Georgian mansion in London for $122 million. The purchase broke several records. In 2019, Griffin set the record for the most expensive residential sale ever closed in the U.S. when he purchased roughly 24,000 square feet across three floors at
220 Central Park South 220 Central Park South is a residential skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, situated along Billionaires' Row on the south side of Central Park South between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. 220 Central Park South was designed by Rob ...
in
Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...
for $238 million. The space was "raw space", meaning Griffin had to build it out. Several New York real estate experts have said that the purchase helped fuel legislation that increased taxes on luxury homes in New York. During an interview with
David Rubenstein David Mark Rubenstein (born August 11, 1949) is an American billionaire businessman. A former government official and lawyer, he is a co-founder and co-chairman of the private equity firm The Carlyle Group,Palm Beach County, Florida Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
, with plans to build a 50,000 square foot estate. In 2020, Griffin purchased a 7-acre oceanfront compound in Southampton, New York from
Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
for $84.4 million. In 2020, Griffin purchased several properties on Star Island in Miami Beach for a total of $95 million. In 2022, Griffin purchased a waterfront mansion in
Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248. Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...
for $45.25 million.


Private jets

Griffin owns two private jets: a 2001 Bombardier Global Express valued at $9.5 million, and a $50 million 2012 Bombardier Global 6000.


Withdrawn fraud accusation

In June 2006, Rush E. Simonson, claiming to be Griffin's mentor, filed a fraud case (2006-L-005997) against Griffin, alleging that he was entitled to a percentage of the profits of Citadel for creating a computer program upon which Citadel was founded. In court filings, Simonson said that he first befriended Mr. Griffin in 1982 as a computer salesman. The two struck up a business partnership engaged in convertible-arbitrage. Griffin provided the trading savvy, working both out of his Harvard dorm room and at home in Florida, while Simonson allegedly created the computer program that served as its technological backbone. According to the suit, Griffin struck a deal with a prominent Chicago investor in the late 1980s. As Griffin and Simonson began to unwind their partnership, the suit claimed, Griffin instead began to lay the foundations of what would become Citadel. In doing so, Griffin allegedly improperly took the program that Simonson had created. Simonson also said in his lawsuit that Griffin did not give him a cut of the profits of Citadel. In January 2007, Simonson dropped the lawsuit and apologized to Griffin.


See also

*
List of Harvard University people The list of Harvard University people includes notable graduates, professors, and administrators affiliated with Harvard University. For a list of notable non-graduates of Harvard, see notable non-graduate alumni of Harvard. For a list of Harva ...


References


Further reading

* * ''
The Quants ''The Quants'' is the debut New York Times best selling book by Wall Street journalist Scott Patterson. It was released on February 2, 2010 by Crown Business. The book describes the world of quantitative analysis and the various hedge funds that ...
'', Scott Patterson, Crown Publishing Group, February 2, 2010
Ken Griffin's rise to power
CNBC CNBC (formerly Consumer News and Business Channel) is an American basic cable business news channel. It provides business news programming on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time, while broadcasting talk sho ...
, May 15, 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Kenneth C. 1968 births 20th-century American businesspeople 21st-century American businesspeople American billionaires American financial analysts American financial businesspeople American hedge fund managers American money managers American Presbyterians American stock traders Businesspeople from Chicago Businesspeople from Florida Harvard College alumni Illinois Republicans Living people People from Daytona Beach, Florida Stock and commodity market managers Chief investment officers Boca Raton Community High School alumni