Here's How Much Paul Teutul Sr. From American Chopper Is Worth Now

Thanks to the ongoing popularity of American Chopper, which premiered way back in 2003 and became "one of Discovery's most popular series ever," the Teutul family turned into reality TV stars. They were given the chance to regularly entertain viewers with their admirable expertise when it comes to building customized motorcycles for rich and famous lovers of the open road.

Along with Paul Teutul Jr. and his younger brother Mikey Teutul, fans would surely be able to tell you all about Paul Teutul Sr., who Alt_Driver notes "is primarily known for his involvement in three things: the motorcycle business, the reality television business, and the getting-angry-and-yelling-at-his-two-sons business."

However, while that motorcycle business made the family members household names among fans of American Chopper — while also making both Paul Jr. and Mikey millionaires (who happen to have comparable fortunes, if you're wondering about potential sibling rivalries) — their famous father hasn't fared as well. In fact, according to Page Six, "Paul has a lengthy history of legal troubles" that have cost him dearly.

While you might assume reality TV fame would translate into a fortune, it turns out Paul Teutul Sr. has dealt with a number of dire fortune-draining issues over the years. As Page Six reported, he was sued by his former business partner for fraud in 2017; owed "$22,364.60 in state taxes for his Newburgh, NY-based restaurant, Orange County Choppers Cafe, in 2018;" and faced foreclosure on his Montgomery, N.Y. home in 2019.

Beyond that, in 2020, he was hit with another lawsuit and was ordered "to pay photographer Scott Gunnells $258,484.45 for using his artwork without permission, according to Southern District of New York court documents," per Page Six.

All of that may have played into the fact that, as of February 2020, Paul Sr. "seem[ed] to be battling debt and, unfortunately, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy," according to Alt_Driver. In order to deal with his unenviable financial situation, he apparently "had to sell his New York mansion ..., as well as a couple [of] boats, an ATV, a bulldozer, and a John Deere tractor." And while Celebrity Net Worth estimates he has $500,000, the Blast reported that the oldest Teutul claimed to be "over a million dollars in debt."

This seems to make it clear that while the American Chopper star could certainly teach fans a thing or two about motorcycles, it turns out that he might need a few lessons in how to hold onto his money.