Robert Miller (Canadian businessman)
Robert Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Gerald Miller July 1943 (age 81) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Alma mater | Rider University |
| Occupation(s) | Owner and founder of Future Electronics |
| Children | 2 |
Robert Gerald Miller (born July 1943) is a Canadian billionaire businessman who founded Future Electronics in 1968, and built it into the world's third-largest electronics distributor. He stepped down as the company's president and chief executive officer following allegations by at least 28 women of setting up a system involving paying young girls for sex.[1]
Miller is also a supporter of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation and cryonics research,[2] and he intends to be cryopreserved himself.[3]
Early life and career
[edit]Miller was born in July 1943.[4] Miller is a graduate of Rider University.[2][5][6] He worked at a snackbar and as a DJ to pay for college.[7] He founded Future Electronics in 1968, and built it into the world's third-largest electronics distributor.[1][8]
As part of a fraud probe into the company, the company was raided by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1999.[8] Miller told employees that the raid was "an unfounded assault upon our integrity".[8] The company both challenged the raid and the surrender of documents to authorities.[8][9] The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office announced in 2002 that they would not pursue charges.[8]
He stepped down as the company's president and chief executive officer following allegations by at least 28 women of setting up a system involving paying young girls for sex.[1]
Allegations of sexual assault and arrest
[edit]In 2023, CBC/Radio Canada published a story alleging that Miller had been investigated several times for having paid for sexual contacts with minors for years. Miller's lawyers have denied all allegations.[10][11]
Following the broadcast on February 2, 2023 on the Radio-Canada investigative programs Enquête and The Fifth Estate on CBC Television, Miller stepped down as chairman, president and CEO of Future Electronics.[12]
Robert Miller was arrested on May 30, 2024 and faces 21 charges, including sexual assault, obtaining sexual services for consideration and several counts of sexual exploitation of minors.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Miller is divorced, with two children, and lives in Montreal, Canada.[2] Miller's ex-wife is Margaret Antonier, a former advertising executive at the Montreal radio stations CJAD and CJFM and a real estate developer.[9][8] According to the North Bay Nugget, they separated in 2005 and divorced in 2006.[8]
Miller acquired his Westmount home from Seagram co-chair Charles Bronfman in 1984 for $2.65 million in what was at the time the second most expensive sale of a residence in Canada.[9][14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Rowe, Daniel J (2023-08-12). "28 more women accuse Montreal billionaire Robert Miller of sexually exploiting them as minors". ctvnews.ca.
- ^ a b c "Forbes profile: Robert G. Miller". Forbes. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "5 billionaires who want to live forever: Robert Miller". 2013-04-04. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23.
- ^ "FUTURE ELECTRONICS LIMITED - Officers (free information from Companies House)". Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ Castaldo, Joe (2010-09-08). "Miller's crossroad - Canadian Business - Your Source For Business News". Canadian Business. Archived from the original on 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ "Robert Miller, The World's Richest People". Forbes.com. 2006-02-13. Archived from the original on May 3, 2006. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ Ojo, Bolaji (16 April 2014). "Getting to Know Future Electronics' Robert Miller, Part Two". Electronics Purchasing Strategies. BBG Enterprises Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g McIntosh, Andrew (2010-07-30). "Billionaire in messy, secretive divorce". North Bay Nugget. QMI Agency. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-11-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Montreal's reclusive billionaire". National Post. Toronto, Ontario. Financial Post. 1999-05-15. p. 68. Retrieved 2023-11-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Noël, Brigitte; Turbide, Pasquale; Tremblay, Daniel; Taschereau, Jacques (2023-02-02). "The Girls Around Robert Miller". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
- ^ Rowe, Daniel J. (2023-08-12). "28 more women accuse Montreal billionaire Robert Miller of sexually exploiting them as minors". CTV Television Network. Archived from the original on 2023-11-12. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
- ^ Cherry, Paul (2023-02-03). "Robert Miller steps down as head of Future Electronics amid allegations". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
- ^ Lofaro, Joe (30 May 2024). "Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences". CTV News Montreal. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ Johnston, David (1985-02-02). "Candidates are the issue as upper Westmount votes". The Gazette. Montreal, Quebec. p. 14. Retrieved 2023-11-11 – via Newspapers.com.