Ric Flair is an all-time great in the pro wrestling industry, and according to a vast majority of current wrestlers, he might just be the greatest of them all. The 16-time world champion was the face of the National Wrestling Alliance, and while he wasn’t as big of a draw as Hulk Hogan at the time, the Nature Boy was still regarded as a star attraction. His gimmick was gold and his in-ring work was stellar. As the face of the NWA, Flair made quite a lot of money. His star power remained intact throughout the 90s, and he had no trouble finding employment with WWE and WCW. Ric Flair was one of the highest paid wrestlers on the WCW roster and Vince McMahon gave him a decent contract upon his return to WWE in 2001.

Ric Flair Lived His Nature Boy Gimmick In Real Life

Ric Flair's Gimmick Was All About Living The High Life

• Ric Flair was often showered in money
• He traveled in limousine's, helicopters, jets, and more
• Ric Flair lived this gimmick and did the same in real life outside of wrestling

He was the limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' n' dealin’ megastar, but nowadays, his wealth is all gone. According to some sources, his entire net worth, in 2022, is about $500,000. This guy was making multi-millions in the 1990s, so what happened? It all came down to financial blunders and living the gimmick in real life.

Expensive robes and suits, a number of expensive cars, and a high budget for outdoor dining were the norm for Ric Flair for most of his life as Richard Morgan Fliehr started living the lifestyle of Ric Flair, the supremely successful billionaire. The Nature Boy once spent $40,000 on a robe that struck his fancy, and this is not counting the copious amounts of expensive jewelry he bought over the years. Beyond that, Flair was not too savvy when it came to financial planning.

Ric Flair Got In Trouble With The IRS

Flair Feuded With THe IRS (& Not Mike Rotunda)

• Ric Flair avoided paying tax during his prime
• Ric Flair has been followed by the IRS throughout the last few decades
• Flair invested his money in the incorrect places, causing issues

Throughout the 1980s, Flair did not pay taxes, making the IRS his rival for the rest of his life. The IRS came knocking on his door in the 1990s, and while Flair was able to pay the owed amount, this set the tone for the rest of his life. In 2005, the IRS seized his earnings to pay back the taxes he owed. As recently as 2019, Flair was served a notice to pay $280,000 and the troubles continue to this day. Flair was also prone to investing in the wrong places. The Ric Flair Finance program was struck down almost immediately as it was illegal. Flair had invested quite a lot of his money into the project, albeit he was pushed into the project by a shady guy named Chris Porter. Porter then sued Flair for a loan he was owed and that brings up factor number three; Flair took a lot of loans and barely paid them back.

The Nature Boy had to borrow a substantial amount of money from McMahon to pay the taxes he owed to the IRS, and while McMahon forgave the loaned amount, the other folks didn’t. He was sued so often on the basis of a default that Flair’s own lawyers sent him letters for professional fees. With all the people looking to get their money back, and the IRS knocking on his door every month, Ric Flair burned through the wealth in his coffers and soon after his WWE exit in 2008, he was almost bankrupt and living on his monthly paycheck.