Inside RFK Jr.’s Diaries: From His Ties to Jeffrey Epstein to Documented Affairs

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s private diaries have come to light in a revealing new biography by Isabel Vincent. The book details personal struggles, controversial ties, and unusual behavior, offering a rare look at the man behind the public figure and the life he has led.

A published biography is shedding new light on Robert F. Kennedy Jr., drawing directly from his personal journals to examine both his private struggles and public trajectory.

Titled "RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise," the book by investigative journalist Isabel Vincent uses diary entries from 1999 to 2001, along with extensive reporting, to present a detailed account of his life.

A Life Shaped by Legacy and Loss

The book combines Kennedy’s own writings with Vincent’s reporting to outline a life marked by personal conflict and historical weight. It traces his experiences from the aftermath of the assassinations of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, Robert F. Kennedy, to his later rise in politics.

That trajectory includes his appointment as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump. The diaries reveal a man navigating expectations tied to one of America’s most prominent families while dealing with his own challenges.

Diaries Preserved During a Difficult Marriage

The journals were written during Kennedy’s marriage to his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy. After her death in 2012, the diaries remained out of public view until they were shared with Vincent a year later.

Mary had reportedly kept the journals as “leverage” during their contentious divorce, which had not been finalized at the time of her death. She died at age 52 after hanging herself in the barn of her home in Westchester County, New York.

A Personal Record of Infidelity

One of the most striking aspects of the diaries is Kennedy’s method of tracking his own behavior. According to the book, he created a system to monitor what he called his “lust demons.”

Each day was categorized as either a “victory” or a “mugging.” A “victory” meant he had remained faithful to Mary, while a “mugging” indicated some form of infidelity.

He also assigned numerical values to these encounters. A “10” represented intercourse, while lower numbers reflected varying degrees of unfaithful conduct. Names were recorded alongside these entries, though Vincent chose not to publish them.

Kennedy has faced public accusations of cheating and misconduct in recent years, which aligns with the patterns described in the journals.

A Disturbing Roadside Moment

The biography also details an unusual incident that reflects Kennedy’s long-standing interest in roadkill. In a diary entry dated November 11, 2001, he described stopping his vehicle after spotting a dead raccoon on the highway.

"I was standing in front of my parked car on I-684 cutting the penis out of a road killed raccoon, thinking about how weird some of my family members have turned out to be," he wrote, reportedly reflecting on tensions with his brother Douglas Kennedy and cousin Bobby Shriver. "My kids waited patiently in the car."

Vincent told PEOPLE that Kennedy later said he took the animal’s genitals to “study them later.” The episode stands out as one of the more unusual entries in the journals.

Links to Jeffrey Epstein

The book also explores Kennedy’s past connections to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Vincent reports that Maxwell and Mary Richardson Kennedy were friends.

Kennedy himself flew twice on Epstein’s private plane. On one trip, he traveled with Mary to Palm Beach to visit his mother, Ethel Kennedy. In the book, Vincent notes that he referred to Mary as his “wife” despite still being married to his first wife, Emily Black, at the time.

On another occasion, Kennedy flew to South Dakota with Mary and his children for a fossil-hunting trip aboard Epstein’s aircraft.

Private Writings Become Public Record

With the release of "RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise," Kennedy’s private journals have entered the public sphere. The entries, originally written as personal reflections, now form the backbone of a widely discussed biography.

They offer insight into his behavior, mindset, and relationships during a pivotal period. The combination of firsthand accounts and investigative reporting provides a layered portrayal of a public figure whose personal life has long drawn attention.

Isabel Vincent’s "RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise" presents a detailed and often unsettling portrait of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. By drawing on his private journals, the book highlights patterns of behavior and personal struggles that have shaped his public life.

Set against the backdrop of a family long associated with influence and tragedy, including figures such as John F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., Joan Kennedy, and Ethel Kennedy, the biography connects deeply personal revelations to a legacy that continues to draw scrutiny.