Conor Kennedy is back in the spotlight after Russia placed him on its international wanted list over his reported role in Ukraine.
Conor is the son of Robert F Kennedy Jr and Mary Kennedy, who died by suicide in 2012. Mary was 52 years old and in the midst of a divorce from Robert, along with a custody battle, at the time of her death. Mary left behind Conor and three other children, then aged 10 to 17.
Robert later opened up about his former wife's death, telling The New York Times she had been "in a lot of agony for a lot of her life." He added, "A lot of times, I don't know how she made it through the day," and, "I don't think anybody who was around her didn't do everything that they could to try to help her."
Kennedy is also known for his activism. He was arrested in 2013, when he and 47 other people were taken into police custody for civil disobedience during a protest outside the White House against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
That wasn't Conor's last arrest. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after a bar fight in Aspen, Colorado, in December. Police said he was charged with disorderly conduct after getting into a fight with another man outside the Bootsy Bellows nightclub. The Kennedy family told PEOPLE that Conor was defending a gay friend who was being harassed.
As part of the plea deal, Conor got a six-month deferred sentence. He also had to write an apology letter to the victim, pay a $500 fine, and stay off drugs and alcohol for six months.
Conor dated Taylor Swift in 2012, with a source telling PEOPLE at the time the singer was “head over heels into him.” When the two dated, Swift was 22, while Conor was 18 and still in high school.
The pop star was first spotted bonding with Conor and the rest of the Kennedy clan over the July 4th holiday that summer. The pair were later seen grabbing pizza, taking a sailboat ride on Nantucket Sound, attending a Kennedy family wedding and visiting the grave site of Conor's mother, Mary, where Swift comforted him with hand-holding and hugs.
Robert F Kennedy Jr's 32-year-old son has been put on Russia's international wanted list, accused of acting as a mercenary for the Ukrainian armed forces.
According to Russian state media TASS, Kennedy has been charged with "participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict or military action," under Article 353 of the Russian Criminal Code. He faces 7 to 10 years in prison if detained.
On August 12, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow authorized Conor's arrest in absentia. His legal team appealed the decision, but it was upheld.
He kept it secret from his family. "I told one person here where I was, and I told one person there my real name. I didn't want my family or friends to worry," he wrote. "Going in, I had no prior military experience and wasn't a great shot, but I could carry heavy things and learned fast."
He spent about 10 weeks in Ukraine. "I liked being a soldier, more than I had expected. It is scary. But life is simple, and the rewards for finding courage and doing good are substantial," he said.
Kennedy is engaged to Brazilian singer Giulia Be since August 2024 and is soon to be married.
Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More
