AOC's Future Husband Got Her A Zero Emissions, Recycled Gold Ring
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It looks like there are some big life moves ahead for U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: she's engaged!
AOC confirmed the happy news with Insider reporter Eliza Relman, writing on Twitter: “It’s true! Thank you all for the well wishes ☺️,” she wrote.
The New York democrat, 32, was quickly flooded with messages of congratulations, and one commenter even cracked a political joke, noting that conservatives are “gonna flip” unless the ring is “made of tinfoil.”
AOC jokingly replied: “Close! It’s zero emission and recycled gold.” If you recall, she's super vocal about climate change and has been trying to champion essential climate regulations as a lawmaker.
It’s true! Thank you all for the well wishes ☺️ https://t.co/i5cm9awN3S
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 19, 2022
OK, but who is Riley Roberts, AOC’s soon-to-be husband? Everyone wants to know more about the man who will be in her life 'til death do they part. So, here’s what you need to know:
He is a pretty low-key guy.
Riley is originally from Arizona, and lived there for a while post-college, but now works in the New York City area, according to his LinkedIn profile and Cosmopolitan.
As a web developer, he works for a company called HomeBinder, an online home management platform for modern homeowners. Oh! He also has his own consulting company called Riley UX that helps startups grow their businesses.
BTW: Riley has been described as “charmingly normal.” He regularly commutes between the Bronx and a D.C. apartment that he and AOC share while he works from home, Insider says.
Riley was featured in the Netflix documentary Knock Down the House which featured AOC’s congressional run, among others. Director Rachel Lears told Insider in 2019 that Riley “has been a really important partner” to AOC—aww!
Where did they meet?
Riley and AOC go way back to their college days. The two met at Boston University where, Riley was studying sociology and finance, per the New York Post. During a weekly student town hall called Coffee and Conversations, the two actually got into a debate and eventually, more romantic sparks began to fly, according to Insider.
"Riley was, for lack of a better term, the s----starter," AOC’s friend Eric Baker says in the book Take Up Space: The Unprecedented AOC. "Riley's just as smart as anyone you've ever met, probably smarter, but he would actively say things just to stir the pot."
He's been a quietly supportive, behind-the-scenes guy when supporting his new fianceé. And while he makes rare appearances on her social media, he has made subtle appearances in a few key life moments—and even some that make it onto AOC's IG account. Like this one when she announced her run for Congress (swipe to see tall redheaded man):
How long have they been together?
Riley and AOC dated through college but broke up after graduation. But Riley eventually moved to NYC and the two picked things up again, although it’s unclear how long they’ve been together this second time around.
Clearly, things have been going well, though, considering the upcoming wedding and everything.
They got engaged in April.
AOC and Riley kept things hush-hush for a little while. They actually got engaged earlier this spring and somehow managed to keep the news a secret for a bit. AOC told Insider that the big question was popped in a very special spot: "my family's hometown in Puerto Rico."
When are they tying the knot?
This part's not totally clear—and that might be because they haven't actually settled on a date yet. "No future details yet, we're taking some space to savor this time before diving into planning,” AOC told Insider.
What’s his net worth?
There’s no hard and fast number out there when it comes to Riley’s net worth, but he does seem to be doing well for himself. FWIW, marketing execs like Riley typically make about $83,000 a year, per Glassdoor, but Riley also has his own company. His true salary is likely much higher.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
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