Austin Lee Russell, known professionally as Chumlee, is an American reality television personality and pawnbroker. He is best known for appearing on the History Channel series Pawn Stars. His parents and grandparents opened the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in 1989, and he and Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison grew up in the same neighborhood in Nevada.
Chumlee and three other Harrison family members became well-known all over the world when “Pawn Stars” debuted on History a few years later in July 2009. Usually, you may find him behind the counter. His responsibilities include stocktaking, loading, and creating customer receipts.
His character on the program is frequently the target of jokes because he is presented as being neither smart nor particularly good at his profession. However, he has demonstrated that, despite this, he is capable of moments of exceptional brilliance. ChumLee has been very entrepreneurial in recent years, opening both a novelty goods company and a candy store.
As of 2022, Austin Lee Russell’s net worth is $5 million. Let’s take a look at his net worth and see how he makes his money!
Early Life
Austin Lee Russell was born on September 8, 1982, in Henderson, Nevada, United States. Unfortunately, his parents’ names are private, but we know that his father passed away from pancreatic cancer two weeks prior to Pawn Stars’ premiere.
His Instagram posts suggest he has Scottish ancestry. There have been hints that he has Mexican and Native American ancestry, although this has not been confirmed.
In the meantime, the performer has a sister named Terra Russell and a brother named Sage Russell.
Interestingly, he got the nickname Chumlee when he was around 12 years old. His broad face and chin earned him the nickname. His father’s friend compared him to “Chumley” from the animated TV show Tennessee Tuxedo.
Career
At 21, Austin Russell started working at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Before the first season of the reality show Pawn Stars began filming in July 2009, he had been employed there for five years. He is responsible for performing behind-the-counter tasks at the store, such as loading, testing, and issuing tickets for consumer purchases.
On the show, he is portrayed as the comic foil, frequently the target of jokes about the others’ alleged stupidity and incompetence (for which he has been dubbed a “village idiot”).
In response, the reality star believes he is misunderstood and references his mastery of pinball machines from the second season episode “Pinball Wizards.”
The series’s fan favorite and the breakout cast member was Chumlee. Due to the program’s success, he established his own business selling novelty goods of his design and planned his public appearances. In order for the store to better handle orders of his goods, he sold Rick Harrison half of his ownership of the business in 2010 for $155,000. Due to his popularity, Chumlee’s goods sales have eclipsed those of other program stars.
On the American television program iCarly, Chumlee appeared as himself in the episode “iLost My Head in Vegas” with Rick and Corey Harrison.
In Las Vegas, Chumlee established Chumlee’s Candy on the Boulevard in May 2017, directly across from the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop.
Personal Life
Russell is good friends with Olivia Rademann, an Instagram model and a student at UNLV. Early in 2016, the couple started dating. He proposed a 1.5-carat diamond ring to her in May 2018 at the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach. They had an engagement celebration at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse in Las Vegas in August.
The couple had a reception in the Detroit Ballroom at the D Las Vegas in March 2019 in honor of their impending marriage.
When Russell’s father passed away at 54 from pancreatic cancer, he changed his way of life significantly. He had lost 75 pounds by September 2013. A pre-op diet helped him drop 38 pounds in preparation for gastric sleeve surgery in 2018.
He has lost almost 100 pounds since the surgery. His current fitness goal is to “lose roughly 10-20 pounds of fat and gain more muscle,” and he is working with a trainer to accomplish this.
Controversy
Chumlee’s residence was searched on March 9, 2016, as part of a probe into claims of sexual assault. Police discovered crystal meth, marijuana, Xanax, and numerous firearms while searching his home. Additionally, there was evidence of probable cocaine use. After that, Chumlee was taken into custody.
The next day, Chumlee was released on bail.
According to David Chesnoff, Russell’s attorney, the reality TV star has entered into a plea agreement stipulating that he must complete three years of probation and treatment. In exchange, he pleaded guilty to illegally having a gun and attempted narcotics possession. The other charges were dismissed.
On September 21, 2016, it was reported that Chumlee had completed his plea agreement and would not be required to serve any jail time.
Real Estate And Properties
Chumlee’s Las Vegas home sold for $1.375 million in February 2019. The two-acre property contains a 6,200-square-foot house, a villa, and an entertainer’s yard with a rock-surrounded pool. In 2012, he spent $1.1 million on the party home.
Russell has also been an investor in several businesses, including Fat Chumlees Candy on the Boulevard, a candy store near the Las Vegas Strip. The business started in May 2017.
In 2019, Russell starred in his show on the History Channel called Coreys vs. Chumlee. The show was about him and his friends running a pizzeria.
Furthermore, he takes pleasure in driving his modified 1986 Buick Regal, which has hydraulic lifts on the front and rear. He had a fleet of vehicles as of 2013, which included a 1964 Impala SS, Maserati GranTurismo, Range Rover, Cadillac Escalade, and Rolls Royce Phantom.
Austin ChumLee Russell, better known as “Chumlee” from the reality television series Pawn Stars, has an estimated celebrity net worth of $5 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where does Chumlee’s net worth come from?
A: The majority of Chumlee’s wealth comes from his time spent on the reality television series Pawn Stars. He has also made money from his investments, businesses, and real estate ventures.
Q:What is Chumlee’s average episode salary on Pawn Stars?
The amount Chumlee earns per episode of Pawn Stars is unknown, but it has been speculated that it is over $25,000.
Q: Who are his co-stars on Pawn Stars?
A: Chumlee’s co-stars on Pawn Stars include Rick Harrison, Corey Harrison, and the Old Man (Richard Benjamin Harrison).
Q: Does Chumlee still work at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop?
A: Yes. Chumlee is still an employee of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. He has been with the store since he was a teenager and is one of the main characters in the reality television series.
Q: What businesses does Chumlee own?
A: Chumlee owns several businesses, including Fat Chumlee’s Candy on the Boulevard, a candy store near the Las Vegas Strip. He also has investments in a number of businesses, including the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop.
Q: What is Chumlee’s real name?
A: Chumlee’s real name is Austin Lee Russell. He got the nickname “Chumlee” from his childhood friends because he was chubby and had big cheeks.
Final Words
Austin “Chumlee” Russell, a reality television personality from the United States, has been a significant contributor to Pawn Stars since 2009. He is an amiable, laid-back, and naive sidekick to business owners Rick and Corey Harrison.
Chumlee’s infamous mistakes, which mostly involved paying too much for fake goods, helped him gain fame. Chumlee evolved into a more dependable worker as the series went on, closing numerous profitable deals for the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop and improving his financial acumen.