WASHINGTON DC — Robert F Kennedy Jr received $4 million in book advances over the last year from allies within the Make America Healthy Again movement while serving as U.S. health secretary. The advances were for upcoming books published by Skyhorse Publishing, an American independent book publishing company owned by Tony Lyons.

Tony Lyons is president of Maha Center and leads the non-profit advocacy group Maha Action. Robert F Kennedy Jr has written several books with Skyhorse Publishing, including The Real Anthony Fauci and The Wuhan Cover-Up. In a 2024 ethics filing, Robert F Kennedy Jr pledged: "I will not engage in writing, editing, marketing or promotional services for any of these books during government service."

According to 2026 financial disclosure forms, Robert F Kennedy Jr accepted $126,500 worth of housing in Washington DC at a property owned by Gavin de Becker. De Becker provided Robert F Kennedy Jr with nearly $45,000 in roundtrip airfare to Greece. He also provided Robert F Kennedy Jr with nearly $97,000 in roundtrip airfare to Fiji.

De Becker published a book with Skyhorse Publishing titled Forbidden Facts: Government Deceit and Suppression About Brain Damage From Childhood Vaccines. "Bobby is among my closest friends in the world for many years, and I’m grateful to be able to host him anytime … He has hosted my family at his homes, he’s stayed at my homes, we take family vacations together every year, and did so for years before he was in his current job," Gavin de Becker said.

De Becker donated at least $10 million to Robert F Kennedy Jr’s Super Pac in 2024. Of that amount, $9.65 million was returned. Cheryl Hines accepted $210,000 in consultation fees from the non-profit advocacy group Maha Action. Tony Lyons co-founded the hybrid PAC American Values 2024 to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 presidential candidacy.

Kedric Payne, senior ethics counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, stated: "Lavish gifts to an official from major political donors don’t get the same benefit of the doubt as dinner from a former classmate … The public deserves full transparency about the nature of these gifts and any interests the donor has before the government." An HHS spokesperson stated: "The secretary works with HHS, career ethics officials to ensure that his financial interests, gifts, outside activities and other reportable matters are appropriately disclosed and handled consistent with those requirements." De Becker described RFK Jr. as a close friend and noted a long-standing personal relationship involving mutual hospitality.

Timeline

In 2024, Robert F Kennedy Jr pledged in an ethics filing that he would not engage in writing, editing, marketing or promotional services for any of these books during government service. Also in 2024, Gavin de Becker donated at least $10 million to Robert F Kennedy Jr’s Super Pac, though $9.65 million of that donation was returned.

What's New

Additional reporting identifies that Tony Lyons co-founded the hybrid PAC American Values 2024 to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 presidential candidacy. It also confirms that Skyhorse Publishing is an American independent book publishing company.

Why It Matters

The acceptance of financial benefits from individuals aligned with the Make America Healthy Again movement relates to ethics pledges made prior to assuming office. The scale of the book advances and the value of housing and travel provided by a major political donor show the extent of financial relationships between the health secretary and entities supporting his policy agenda.

These disclosures occur alongside similar financial arrangements for other figures within the movement, such as consultation fees paid to Cheryl Hines by Maha Action. The situation shows the complexity of managing personal financial interests and political alliances while holding a cabinet-level position responsible for public health policy.