Ken Griffin’s Children: Balancing Billionaire Life and Parenthood

There is little public information about Ken Griffin’s children, but we know that he is committed to being a present father

Ken Griffin is best known as the founder of Citadel, a Chicago-based hedge fund empire. But behind the scenes, he’s also a busy dad. Griffin has three children from his second marriage, though he rarely talks about them publicly. The couple’s divorce made the headlines in 2015, and the custody drama was splashed across news outlets.

Griffin still insists on keeping his family life out of the spotlight. In general, very little is known about his kids by name or age. If anything, Griffin values their privacy so much that their names have never been publicly released. What we do know is that he’s a father of three (two sons and a daughter) and co-parents them with his ex-wife. In a casual sense, this is the story of how Griffin balances being a billionaire with being a dad.

What we do know about Ken Griffin’s children

Ken Griffin’s family story begins with his marriage to hedge-fund executive Anne Dias. The couple tied the knot in 2003 after meeting on a blind date, and they went on to have three children together. Reportedly, at the time of their divorce filings in 2015 the kids were ages 7, 4, and 2, which means today they’re likely in their early to mid-teens.

• A silent first marriage

Griffin’s first marriage was to his high-school sweetheart, Katherine Weingartt, in the early 1990s, but there are no public reports of children from that union. In short, Griffin is the father of three young kids from his second marriage, and the family has worked hard to keep those children’s details private.

• Privacy above everything else

Griffin and Anne prioritized privacy for their little ones. Public filings and media reports never even mention the kids’ names. This contrasts with some Hollywood or celebrity divorces where kids’ names leak out. Here, the focus has been almost entirely on the business behind their divorce.

• High-stakes custody and lifestyle disputes

Ken Griffin’s divorce filings revealed stunning information. For example, court papers showed that Anne Dias-Griffin was seeking about $1 million a month to care for their three children, including a whopping $300,000 per month for private jet travel.

Needless to say, an ordinary family budget has no line item for $300K in jet fuel. Ken Griffin shot back in court papers that this was more about his ex’s lifestyle than anything to do with the kids. Eventually, the pair settled out of court just hours before a divorce trial was to begin, and they agreed to joint custody of the children.

The specifics of their settlement were sealed, but we do know Griffin paid around $11.75 million to buy out his ex-wife’s interest in their Chicago penthouse. More importantly, both parents are still sharing custody of the kids. In other words, despite the acrimony, Ken Griffin remains very much a part of his children’s lives.

• A private fatherhood

From these facts, we can piece together the basics: Ken Griffin’s children, now teenagers, split their time between him and his ex-wife. Beyond that, everything takes place behind closed doors. He and Anne have largely followed their prenup terms (which even covered child issues), and after the divorce, they opted for joint custody. He’s said little about parenthood in interviews, so the picture we get must be inferred from actions (like his philanthropy) and rare comments.

Divorce drama: wedding, prenup and custody

Griffin’s first brush with divorce was back in the 1990s. He married Katherine Weingartt, his high-school girlfriend, in 1991 and divorced just five years later. They kept that split mostly out of the papers. His more recent divorce, however, became a national story. In July 2014, the then-46-year-old Griffin filed for divorce from Anne Dias, after 11 years of marriage.

He cited “irreconcilable differences” in court documents. The couple had signed a prenuptial agreement in 2003, which was central to the battle. Anne’s camp argued she’d been coerced into the prenup, while Griffin’s lawyers insisted that it was legitimate and should stand.

The real drama was over money for the kids. Court papers leaked Annie’s “luxury parenting budget,” which included that $300,000/mo line for a family jet. She also requested private school tuition, multiple vacations (even $450,000 for a single St. Barts trip with the kids!), personal assistants, and more. Griffin scoffed that Anne was basically trying to finance “her opulent lifestyle” under the guise of child support.

For context: in 2013 he had taken home roughly $950 million from Citadel, making him one of the world’s highest-paid hedge fund managers. So the debate was really about spending a tiny fraction of his income, though it still became tabloid fodder.

The resolution

Ultimately, the pair never had to air this in open court. In October 2015 they reached a confidential settlement just hours before a trial was to begin. The outcome (as later reported by the court) was that Griffin effectively bought out Anne’s stake in their shared penthouse for about $11.75 million, and the two shared joint custody of their three children. Today, each parent presumably has the kids part-time, splitting school holidays and weekends. The public only knows what the filings revealed, the rest of the arrangement remains private.

The divorce no doubt tested Griffin’s balance of work and parenthood. Critics noted that he was demanding huge sums while also running a massive financial firm. But from the settlement, we see that Griffin succeeded in keeping the kids’ best interests (and his privacy) at the forefront.

Joint custody suggests that he wanted and was granted ample time with his children. And by avoiding a drawn-out trial, the family could start moving on. This phase of Griffin’s life shows one side of his parenting: wrestling with the logistics of divorce and supporting his kids at the same time.

The upbringing of Ken Griffin’s children: education, values and philanthropy

Ken Griffin rarely shares information about his home life, but we can infer a lot from what he does talk about and what he funds. Griffin is famously obsessed with education. He and his wife donated hundreds of millions to universities and charter schools.

• An obsession with education

For example, Ken Griffin gave Harvard University over $150 million to boost financial aid programs, reflecting the role education played in his success. In news coverage, he’s described himself as wanting top colleges to focus on “educating American children” rather than activism. In short, Griffin walks the talk when it comes to learning.

• Education at home

This emphasis on learning likely carries over at home. One can imagine Griffin encouraging his sons and daughters to focus on school and personal growth. His upbringing was in a middle-class family (his parents were both college-educated), and he often credits them for teaching him discipline and curiosity. He has also said that a strong nation depends on a good education for all students.

• Instilling discipline and achievement

Given this, we can infer he’s instilled in his kids the importance of hard work and academic achievement. Indeed, Griffin’s school-donation history suggests he views schooling as a foundation of opportunity. People have speculated that Ken Griffin’s children attend top private schools where they get rigorous academics, though public details are scarce.

• Resilience and grit

Another sign of Ken Griffin’s parenting approach is resilience and grit. The “Call of Duty” anecdote he shared with students at his high school suggests that he respects discipline and learning from failure. When he spoke to teenagers, he joked about bombing a chemistry exam and how he turned it into a teachable moment. That kind of story, fail, learn, move on, likely doubles as the advice he’d give his kids.

• Leading by example

In interviews, he’s quipped about workaholic traits “I was obsessed with trading at Harvard.” Implying intense focus and early entrepreneurship. He started selling software as a teenager. By his example and words, Griffin seems to believe in giving children responsibility, emphasizing hard work, and learning independence.

Philanthropy reflects parenting values

Griffin’s philanthropy shines a light on his values. As of 2025, he has given well over a billion dollars to charitable causes. Much of that is geared toward education (e.g. charter schools and student scholarships) and children’s welfare. For instance, in 2023 Griffin surprised Miami by donating $25 million to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

This is one of the largest gifts in that hospital’s history. The gift will provide cutting-edge care for sick children in Florida. In a press release, Griffin said he was “honored to support” the hospital’s mission of giving every child the best care. This shows that caring for kids’ health is a personal priority.

Similarly, Griffin has supported children’s charities in Chicago (like Lurie Children’s Hospital) and funded tutoring/after-school programs. The theme is clear: he channels his wealth into improving opportunities and safety for kids. Even if Griffin doesn’t publicly cuddle his children in front of cameras, his giving suggests that he wants them (and kids everywhere) to have excellent schools, doctors, and role models.

In a way, his philanthropy reveals his parenting philosophy: invest resources so the next generation can thrive. Indeed, reporters have noted Griffin’s public comments about “educating American children” and how he admires people who “care for the future” (like education advocates).

Modeling habits at home

We can also guess that Griffin models some practical habits at home. Billionaires often emphasize simple routines. For instance, Jeff Bezos talks about having breakfast with his children and doing the dishes every night. If Griffin is anything like other rich dads, he might have small family traditions – maybe he reads bedtime stories or quizzes his kids on news headlines. The public doesn’t know any specifics, but given how much he lectures students about communication and responsibility, he probably expects the same from his kids.

All in all, Ken Griffin’s approach to parenting seems grounded in education, discipline, and high expectations. He sets a meaningful example through how he has lived, overcoming setbacks to build Citadel, and likely passes on that resilience to his children. Meanwhile, his philanthropic actions suggest that he wants them to have the best of everything a caring parent could want: great schools, health care, and the inspiration to aim high.

Billionaire perks: travel, education and privacy

Of course, being one of the richest people on Earth comes with plenty of advantages (and challenges) to parenting. Griffin’s billionaire status means that his family travels luxuriously, learns in top-tier environments, and is protected. However, it also means extra scrutiny and safety concerns.

• Travel and lifestyle

For starters, the Griffins could pretty much go anywhere, any time. Ken Griffin owns Gulfstream jets and has multiple homes including a Chicago penthouse, a New York apartment, a Florida estate, etc. Reporters noted that Anne asked for tens of thousands of dollars per month for jet travel with the kids.

Whether or not that exact figure was granted, it shows that air travel for family vacations was on the menu. The kids likely grew up flying on private jets, staying in luxury resorts, or even visiting international Citadel offices (Griffin’s business has dealings in Asia, Europe, etc.). They’re probably used to skyboxes, VIP lounges, and first-class.

• Education and enrichment

Given Griffin’s priorities, his children almost certainly attend elite private schools or rigorous charter schools supported by donors like him. These schools typically have small class sizes, extensive extracurricular programs, and advanced technology – basically everything money can buy to give a top education.

They might even benefit from tutoring (he’s funded many tutoring initiatives), or summer programs at Ivy League campuses. It’s a common theme among wealthy parents: from preschool on, the children get “prep” advantages (personal coaches, science kits, travel for cultural exposure). We infer that Griffin spares no expense on their schooling and activities.

• Safety and privacy

High-profile families often require security. While the Griffins keep a low profile, it’s reasonable that Ken employs private security details for travel and home. The kids probably have bodyguards at public events (if they appear at all) and secure drop-off routes at school. In an age of social media, their parents likely have strict rules about posting anything about them to keep kidnappers or paparazzi at bay.

In fact, the divorce itself was covered intensely by the press, which might have made the family even more cautious. Post-divorce, Griffin appears to have mostly handled custody matters privately, a sign he’ll fiercely protect the children’s privacy. In practice, this might mean small school classes (avoiding press), and very limited public appearances. The rules for sharing any information about the kids online in either household are probably “none.”

The high price of “family office” life

Ultimately, Ken Griffin’s children demonstrate the balance that he’s built his life on. On the one hand, his kids have more choices and resources than almost any other children. On the other hand, Ken Griffin’s children carry the burden of being a “billionaire’s children.” Griffin seems to navigate this by staying very hands-on yet low-profile. He engages in their lives (through custody and presumably daily parenting when with them) but won’t tweet about family vacations or brag on Instagram. This is probably healthy: it lets them be kids first, and kids of a billionaire second.

The custody battle itself offers another lesson: even billionaires must make compromises when it comes to kids. Ken could have fought for sole custody, but he agreed to share. Instead of cutting the children out during the divorce, he maintained a relationship and took financial responsibility (even if he did this begrudgingly for some expenses). That sheds light on Griffin’s priority: keep the kids stable and comfortable, no matter what.

Today, Griffin likely leads a life of split screen: one half is trading screens, hedge fund strategy, and philanthropy; the other half is soccer practices, piano recitals, and bedtime stories. Unlike Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, Griffin isn’t omnipresent in the public eye, so these two worlds don’t collide as often.

But make no mistake, balancing them takes effort. In interviews, Griffin has indicated that he values family time. When CNBC’s Sara Eisen asked him in 2025 about balancing work and family, he emphasized just being present and protective of the normalcy of his children’s lives. No amount of money can replace that.

Conclusion: dad goals at billionaire scale

In short, Ken Griffin is a business titan at work and a careful, if private, dad at home. He balances billion-dollar deals and bedtime stories, hedge fund reports and homework reports, jet-setting, and just plain settling in for family dinner. The story of his parenting is still unfolding, but one thing’s clear: whether he’s talking finance or buying surgical towers, Griffin approaches both roles with intense focus and a big-picture vision. It might not be an easy juggling act, but it seems to be one he’s determined to perform without dropping any balls (or kids) along the way.