Eric Deters, the former Kentucky and Ohio trial lawyer who has emerged as a prominent Trump supporter and political donor, is back in the spotlight after a Wall Street Journal investigation detailed his dealings with Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece.
According to the WSJ report, Kimberly Guilfoyle allegedly asked Kentucky political donor Eric Deters to pay a $100,000 credit-card bill, while offering to use her connections in the Trump administration to help him with matters involving the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Justice.
Deters had previously paid Guilfoyle $300,000 in speaking fees and was seeking her assistance with personal tax and legal matters.
Eric Deters net worth
Unlike some high-profile politicians and business executives, Deters does not have a publicly established net-worth figure.
His political records do, however, offer some information about his finances. Deters was a Republican candidate for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District in 2024, and the Federal Election Commission lists his campaign committee, Eric Deters for Congress, as an active committee.
{{/usCountry}}His political records do, however, offer some information about his finances. Deters was a Republican candidate for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District in 2024, and the Federal Election Commission lists his campaign committee, Eric Deters for Congress, as an active committee.
{{/usCountry}}Campaign filings, however, cannot be used to calculate his personal net worth. Money raised or spent by a political committee is separate from a candidate's personal wealth.
How did Eric Deters make his money?
Deters made his name as a trial lawyer in Kentucky and Ohio. The Wall Street Journal describes him as a former attorney and former congressional candidate who also previously co-owned the regional Snappy Tomato Pizza restaurant chain.
He later became a prominent conservative media personality and political activist. The Journal reported that Deters hosted radio programming in Ohio and became an outspoken supporter of Trump during the 2016 campaign.
His political and business activities also included hosting events featuring prominent Trump allies.
According to the Journal, Deters said he paid $300,000 to Guilfoyle over several years for speaking appearances, as well as $200,000 to Donald Trump Jr. and $100,000 to Eric Trump. The newspaper also reported that Federal Election Commission records show Deters contributed $125,000 to a political-action committee supporting Trump in 2022.
Those payments demonstrate substantial spending capacity, but they do not establish Deters' overall wealth.
Why renewed interest in Deters
The renewed interest in Deters' finances follows the Journal's investigation into his communications with Guilfoyle, now the US ambassador to Greece.
According to the report, Deters sought Guilfoyle's help with an IRS dispute and matters involving the Justice Department. The Journal reported that he had offered payments of as much as $1 million if she successfully helped him with certain matters, while Guilfoyle allegedly later asked him to pay $100,000 toward her American Express bill.
Deters ultimately declined to make the $100,000 payment, telling the Journal that doing so would have put his marriage at risk.
Guilfoyle's attorney has disputed the authenticity of the messages cited by the Journal, while saying she was owed money for participating in and travelling to patriotic events. Deters has disputed that he owed her such money.