Karoline Leavitt’s husband Nicholas Riccio has opened up about his turbulent childhood and his inspirational story of how he went from being unhoused to a wealthy property tycoon

Karoline Leavitt and husband Nicholas Riccio

In an unearthed interview Karoline Leavitt’s husband shared his inspirational backstory

Karoline Leavitt’s has shared the inspirational story of how her husband, 32 years her senior, went from rags to riches.

Nicholas Riccio, husband to White House Press Secretary Karoline, has opened up about his inspirational life story. In an unearthed interview with his local newspaper in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the 59-year-old shared the backstory of how he went from being unhoused to becoming a wealthy and multi-million dollar property tycoon.

During a chat with the Portsmouth Herald, Riccio opened up about his turbulent childhood and journey to his current success. In the candid discussion, Nicholas shared his experience of growing up in a low-income household with three siblings, navigating his parent’s divorce as a child, and how he lost his mother to cancer.

By the young age of 18 years old, Nicholas was moved out of his family home and couch surfing with friends to get by. He vulnerably told the news outlet: “When I was 19 or 20, I would call my buddies to go over their houses to watch a game just so I could take a shower.”

Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio
Karoline Leavitt is married to real estate tycoon Nicholas Riccio ( 
Image:
karolineleavitt/Instagram)

Nicholas Riccio
Nicholas shared how he went from being unhoused to a successful real estate developer ( 
Image:
karolineleavitt/Instagram)
After graduating from Alvirne High School in Hudson in 1983, Nicholas went on to attend Plymouth State University. After graduating from college, Nicholas went on to attend a real estate course in 1990 where he discovered his passion for the industry. At the start of his career, he ambitiously flipped houses slowing building his current fortune. During this time he made the risky move to borrow money, sometimes at interest rates ranging from 50 to 100 percent, but his investment fully paid off in the long run.

Since then Nicholas has created his own impressive real estate empire including his companies Riccio Enterprises LLC and its subsidiary, Nautical Beach Properties. According to reports by the Economic Times, Nicholas is worth a staggering $6 million due to his strategic investments and tireless real estate endeavors.

Karoline, 27, met Nicholas through a mutual friend while they were both attending a political event. And while the details of their romance remain largely private, the pair announced their engagement in December 2023. Soon after, the two shared an intimate private wedding ceremony. In July of 2024, Karoline became a first-time mom as she welcomed their son Nicholas Robert.