It has been over fifteen years since the name Casey Anthony became synonymous with one of the most polarizing criminal trials in American history. People still have questions. Lots of them. But lately, the curiosity has shifted from the courtroom drama of 2011 to a more practical, albeit controversial, mystery: how does she actually pay her bills?
Honestly, the answer isn't a single paycheck or a traditional 9-to-5. It is a strange, shifting mix of behind-the-scenes legal work, media deals that spark immediate outrage, and a brand-new pivot into the world of digital subscriptions.
The Substack Pivot: Cashing In on the "Follow"
By early 2026, the biggest shift in her financial life has become impossible to ignore. Casey Anthony is now a content creator.
In March 2025, she made waves by joining TikTok to "reintroduce" herself to a generation that might only know her through true crime podcasts or memes. That social media push wasn't just for fun; it was a marketing funnel for her Substack. On this platform, she styles herself as a "legal advocate" and "researcher," charging followers for access to her thoughts, videos, and "legal insights."
The math here is actually pretty startling. Reports from mid-2025 indicated she had already amassed over 5,000 subscribers. With tiers starting around $10 a month and some "founding member" options reportedly reaching $250 a year, she is easily generating a six-figure gross revenue from her keyboard alone. This is her "lucrative side hustle," as some experts call it, and it has given her a level of financial independence she hasn't had since the acquittal.
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Working in the Shadows of Private Investigation
Long before she was a "legal advocate" on TikTok, Casey was essentially an apprentice to the man who helped keep her out of prison. For years, she lived and worked in South Florida with Patrick McKenna, the veteran private investigator who was the lead for her defense team.
This wasn't just a place to stay. She was on the payroll.
McKenna hired her as a legal assistant and researcher. Think of it as a "behind the curtain" role—doing deep-dive background checks, organizing case files, and handling accounting tasks. In 2020, she even filed the paperwork for her own business, Case Research & Consulting Services LLC.
There's a catch, though. In Florida, you can't just call yourself a private investigator. You need a Class C license, which requires two years of supervised training and a clean criminal record (her convictions for lying to police complicate this). While the LLC exists, most of her "investigative" income likely comes from working under McKenna's established license rather than her own independent firm.
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The Reality of Media Paydays
Whenever a new documentary drops, the internet erupts with the same question: Did they pay her?
The ethics are messy. While many networks claim they don't pay "convicted criminals," Casey was acquitted of the most serious charges. This creates a loophole. For the 2022 Peacock docuseries Where the Truth Lies, the specific payout wasn't publicly disclosed, but history suggests she knows her market value.
- The ABC News Deal: Back in 2010, she received $200,000 for licensing photos and videos of Caylee.
- Failed Pitches: Shortly after the trial, her team reportedly shopped an interview special for $500,000 to $750,000. It didn't sell then because the "publicity poison" was too high.
- The Current Strategy: In 2026, she seems to have realized that instead of waiting for a network to cut a check, she can go direct-to-consumer. Every time she trends on TikTok, her Substack numbers tick up.
The Tennessee Move and Financial Standing
She doesn't live in Florida anymore. As of 2025, she reportedly moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Why? Partly for a fresh start, but likely also for the lower cost of living and the ability to operate with a bit more anonymity.
Despite the Substack success, don't think she’s sitting on a massive fortune. Her 2013 bankruptcy filing was a total wipeout. She reported $1,000 in assets and nearly $800,000 in debt—most of that owed to her lead attorney, Jose Baez. Even with new income streams, a significant portion of what she earns likely goes toward legal residuals, taxes, and maintaining the high-security lifestyle she requires.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People assume she’s living on some "hidden inheritance" or secret blood money. There’s no evidence for that. Instead, she has essentially turned her notoriety into a brand. It’s a specialized, highly controversial version of the "creator economy."
She markets herself as a victim of the system, and there is a segment of the public—particularly younger true crime fans who didn't live through the 2011 media circus—who are willing to pay for her "side of the story."
Key Takeaways for the Curious:
- Digital Income: Her primary 2026 income is likely subscription-based content (Substack/TikTok).
- Legal Work: She continues to work as a paralegal and researcher, often tied to her former defense team.
- The LLC: Case Research & Consulting Services LLC is her formal business vehicle, though she operates primarily as an assistant.
- Living Situation: She has traded the Florida spotlight for a quieter life in Tennessee.
If you’re looking to track her next move, keep an eye on the "Legal Advocate" branding. It’s the clearest sign that she has stopped trying to hide from the public and has started trying to bill them instead.
To stay informed on how public figures manage their finances post-crisis, you can monitor the Tennessee Secretary of State's business filings for any new updates to her consulting LLC.