“A Surrogate Father, A Heroin Habit”: New RFK Jr. Biography Alleges Secret Drug Ties with JFK Insider Lem Billings

A newly released biography claims that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. developed an unusually close and controversial relationship with a longtime Kennedy family insider following the 1968 assassination of his father, Robert F. Kennedy.

In RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise, investigative journalist Isabel Vincent reports that Kirk LeMoyne “Lem” Billings—one of John F. Kennedy’s closest childhood friends and a frequent White House presence—assumed a surrogate father role in the younger Kennedy’s life. The book alleges that the relationship extended beyond mentorship, claiming the two used heroin together during RFK Jr.’s formative years.

According to Vincent, RFK Jr.’s adolescence was marked by instability. Following his father’s assassination, he reportedly cycled through multiple boarding schools and experienced a strained relationship with his mother, Ethel Kennedy. Amid this upheaval, Billings stepped in, offering guidance while also encouraging a strong identification with the Kennedy political legacy.

Billings, often described as an adopted member of the Kennedy family by patriarch Joseph Kennedy, had longstanding ties to the clan and even maintained a bedroom in the White House during JFK’s presidency. Vincent writes that he viewed RFK Jr. as a potential heir to the family’s political ambitions.

The biography details a series of international trips, including visits to Africa and Peru, where Billings reportedly fostered RFK Jr.’s interest in adventure and environmentalism. One such trip allegedly resulted in a lucrative media deal with Life magazine, earning the teenager $25,000 for photos and an interview.

However, the book portrays a darker dimension to the relationship. It claims that Billings, who struggled with substance abuse later in life, introduced RFK Jr. to heroin. His Manhattan apartment is described as both a shrine to Kennedy family history and a gathering place where drugs were used by members of the extended circle.

The biography also revisits the broader issue of substance abuse within the Kennedy family, including the 1984 overdose death of RFK Jr.’s brother, David Kennedy.

In a separate and sharply critical statement issued in January 2025, Caroline Kennedy described her cousin as a “charismatic” but dangerous influence, alleging he contributed to destructive behaviors among younger family members.

Billings died in 1981, leaving his Manhattan apartment to RFK Jr., who later described him as “a father to me” during his funeral.

The book, released April 14, adds to ongoing scrutiny surrounding RFK Jr., who currently serves as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under Donald Trump. Its claims are based on interviews and archival material, though some accounts remain contested and unverified.