Paul Hebert wiki, bio, disability scandal, net worth, wife, kids.

If you think fishing is boring, you haven’t met Paul Hebert. He is the man who makes fishing fun and exciting. He is a third-generation fisherman, who knows how to hook and reel in the biggest and baddest tuna in the ocean. He is the leader of his crew, who guides them with his experience and charisma. He is also the star of the popular reality show Wicked Tuna, where he shows off his skills and personality. The show documents the fierce rivalry between the  Gloucester, Massachusetts-based fisherman who races to catch more tunas at the end of the season. Paul is a veteran of the show, who has been competing for over a decade. He is the captain of the Wicked Pissah, the boat that won the tenth season of Wicked Tuna. He is also a devoted father, a generous friend, and a proud citizen of Gloucester, MA. 

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Early Life & Family

Paul Hebert was born on February 15, 1965, in Marshfield, Massachusetts, U.S. He was born as the youngest of six children from Estelle and Don Hebert. He grew up in his hometown alongside his five siblings Donald, Bruce, Danny, Kenny, and Gary Hebert, who grew to become fishermen. He attended Marshfield High School.

Career and Progression

The third-generation fisherman Hebert learned the tricks of the trade from his parents. His parents were in the lobster business. Born and raised in Marshfield, Massachusetts, Hebert would spend his time fishing with his father. He caught his first bluefin tune at the age of eight which was 1,100 pounds.

Hebert holds the record for catching the world’s biggest mako shark 1,530 pounds. The record was also published in a 1997 edition of the Old Colony Memorial newspaper.

Other than fishing, Hebert progressed in carpentry jobs and worked for years. He did make a living as a carpenter but an unfortunate accident during the job left him to quit. In the accident, he broke both his legs and back. After he recovered he obtained a boat license and started a charter fishing business.

Wicked Tuna

Paul Hebert is a man who knows how to catch big fish. He has been a part of the reality TV show Wicked Tuna since 2012, where he showcases his skills and passion for fishing bluefin tuna in the North Atlantic. He is the captain of the Wicked Pissah, a 36-foot boat that he runs with his crew of two.

He joined the show in 2012 and worked as the first mate of his longtime friend, Dave Carraro on the fishing vessel Tuna.com. After a rocky run, he was fired from the job. Instead of getting discouraged, Paul has shown that he is not afraid of challenges and changes. Hebert stepped in as captain of Lisa & Jake for the remainder of the season. Since, he has switched boats and crews several times over the years, always looking for the best fit and performance.

He captained Miss Sambvca in season 3, and Kelly Ann in season 4. He finally got his own boat, Wicked Pissah, in season 5, and became a captain with his brother Bruce as his first mate. He won his first Wicked Tuna title during season 10 with 15 fish worth $53,303, beating his rivals Dave Marciano who caught 14 fish worth $48,541.

Paul has also appeared on its spin-off, Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, where he and other captains venture to the waters of North Carolina for a different fishing experience. He is known for his humor, passion and competitiveness on the show, as well as his love for his family and friends. Wicked Tuna also features other Glochescher-based fishermen such as TJ Ott, Dave Marciano, Dave Carraro, & Tyler MacLaughlin.

Challenges & controversies

Paul has faced some challenges and controversies in his life, such as being sentenced to four years of probation and paying a fine and restitution for disability fraud in 2016. He also lost his father, Donald Hebert who died at a nursing home. The cause of death was COVID-19. Paul was not able to be with his father as he was filming the show Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks at the time. It was a tragic loss for Paul and his family. However, he has also overcome them and continued to pursue his dream of being a successful tuna fisherman.

Disability Scandal

Paul Hebert was indicted in 2015 on federal fraud charges for lying about his disability and collecting government benefits while working as a fisherman and appearing on the show. He pleaded guilty in 2016 to Social Security and Medicaid fraud and was sentenced to four years of probation, a $5,000 fine and more than $53,600 in restitution. Hebert had claimed that he was unable to work at any job, walk properly, lift heavy weights or drive for more than short distances when he applied for disability benefits in 2009. However, he began receiving benefits in 2010 and continued to do so until 2013, while earning money through fishing and television work. Hebert’s fraud was considered outrageous by the authorities who said he pretended to be disabled and poor while starring as a captain of a fishing boat on a national TV show.

Net Worth

 Paul Hebert is not only a skilled fisherman, but also a wealthy one. He has an estimated net worth of $500,000 as of 2023. But how did he earn his fortune? Well, it’s not just from fishing. Paul Hebert also gets paid a handsome salary for appearing on Wicked Tuna. In the early seasons of the show, he reportedly earned between $2,000 and $3,000 per boat per episode. But as the show gained popularity and ratings, his pay increased to $10,000 per episode. That’s a lot of money for a fisherman!

Of course, Paul Hebert also makes money from selling his catch. Bluefin tuna is one of the most expensive fish in the world, and can fetch up to $40 per pound. Depending on the size and quality of the tuna, Paul Hebert can make thousands of dollars from a single fish. In fact, he once caught the largest MAKO shark in history, which must have been worth a fortune. He also invests part of his earning, in maintaining the boat and salary to his crew members.

Wife and Children

This reality TV star rarely talks about his personal affairs. As such we do not know about his wife. However, he is the father of two children Adam Hebert and Ashley Hebert. Both of his children are greenhorns when it comes to fishing. Although it may seem like his children have a choice to follow in his footsteps as a competitive fisherman Paul has different ideas in his mind. He wants his children to have normal office jobs.

It is easy to say Paul Hebert likes to keep family out of the spotlight which is also the reason he never talks about relationship stuff. Prying through his Facebook page, we came across a post on January 1, 2023, with the caption “Happy new year!!! 2023 is going to be epic!!!.” He also shared a photo posing with a woman. Even though he did not specify his relationship with her, it certainly did get the attention of his fans who suspected her to be his current wife.

Wiki/Bio Facts

Fact	Value
Full name	Paul Hebert
Date of birth	February 15, 1965
Age	58
Place of birth	Marshfield, Massachusetts
Current residence	Gloucester, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	White
Zodiac sign	Aquarius
Occupation	Commercial fisherman and reality TV star
Boat name	Wicked Pissah
TV show	Wicked Tuna
TV network	National Geographic Channel
Years active	2012 – present
Season debut	Season 1
Season win	Season 10
Total earnings (Season 10)	$53,303
Number of fish caught (Season 10)	15
Biggest fish caught (Season 10)	117 inches
Father’s name	Donald Hebert
Mother’s name	Estelle Hebert
Siblings	Five older brothers
Marital status	N/A
Children	Two (Adam Hebert & Ashley Hebert)
Net worth	$500,000 (estimated)
Salary per episode	$10,000 (reported)
Criminal record	Disability fraud in 2016
Probation period	Four years (2016-2020)