Patty Hearst Kidnapping and the SLA
In February 1974, college student Patty Hearst was kidnapped from her Berkeley apartment by the Symbionese Liberation Army, a radical leftist group. The SLA demanded her wealthy family distribute food to the poor. Hearst was later seen participating in SLA robberies, including a San Francisco bank heist.
Patty Hearst Trial, Conviction, and Prison
Hearst was arrested in 1975 and tried for bank robbery and conspiracy. Her defense argued she was coerced and held hostage during the crimes. She was convicted in 1976 and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, and she was later pardoned by President Bill Clinton in 2001.
Patty Hearst Net Worth and Career After Prison
After her release, Hearst worked as a broadcaster, actress, and author, rebuilding her public profile. Her estimated net worth has been reported in the range of several million dollars, shaped by media attention and her family's media empire. Her story remains a widely studied case of kidnapping, coercion, and celebrity legal history.
For more details on the Patty Hearst case timeline, see the FBI's historical records at fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/patty-hearst.
